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Music For People Who Don’t Like Music – Week 4 of Spotify Discover Weekly

What started as a glorious fling has settled into the drab day-to-day reality of a relationship that might not be working out. Oh Spotify Discover Weekly, you seemed so right. You understood me. You knew what I liked and you gave it to me. Now, only 4 weeks into our time together, it just all seems so empty. How did it all go so wrong so fast? Maybe it’s me, but I don’t think so.

It’s not that you picked bad songs for me this week, it’s that you curated such a boring mix. The playlist is almost all so listenable, so nice, so predictable, so Adult Alternative. Music that’s good for me, but not always good music.

Much of this week falls under the umbrellas of World Cafe or Music by Starbucks or just plain Dad Rock. I want to curl up with a mug of tea and read a book. It’s music for people that don’t like music, but don’t want anyone to know. Make it stop! Make it stop! Give me some gristle, give me some bone.

I read a great piece earlier this week on Wired about the science of bad music playlists. The gist is the “brain privileges music that’s like stuff you’ve heard before.” Spotify and other streaming services takes advantage of this familiarity and the chemical response in your head. From Wired’s article:

“When you hear music that you find intensely pleasurable, it triggers a dopamine response,” says Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at the Rotman Research Institute.

When the music is so predictably similar, “the dopamine response will quickly diminish. It’s why people love improvisational music like jazz—it’s different every time.” So that Discover tab? It’s just giving me a short-term high, then I’m crashing hard.

None of this challenges me. Sure, there are some great tracks here, but I’ve heard it all before. It makes me want to change the channel and find something new.

Let’s get to the highlights, lowlights and the one crazy curveball of Week 4.

The playlist opens with “Pretty Good,” the closing track on side one from John Prine’s 1971 eponymous debut. And it is, um, pretty good.

I know I am supposed to like Paul SImon’s solo stuff, but it’s always been a big fat NO for me. Sure, “Kodachrome” was a giant hit from 1973’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, but why do I have to hear it again? Two songs in and you’re losing me.

However, track 3 has us back in business. The Nerves perfect two minute blast of angsty power pop from 1976, “Hangin’ on the Telephone” (later covered by Blondie) is an explosive rush of despair, passion and just plain awesomeness. Jack Lee, Peter Case and Paul Collins only released a handful of songs, but damn they were good.

“Pressure Drop,” a 1969 single from Toots & The Maytals, is a stone-cold classic. It also appeared on their 1970 album Monkey Man and The Harder They Come soundtrack in 1972.

“Lungs” comes from Townes Van Zandt’s eponymous 1969 album. With nothing more than an acoustic guitar, tambourine, powerful lyrics and his yearning vocals, Townes hits an easy home run.

Then we’ve got the batshit crazy “Spill the Wine” from Eric Burdon & War. I remember this song snaking out of AM car radios as a kid. Burdon had already lived two lives as leader of the R&B version of the (original) Animals, then leader of the hippy version of the Animals and now he had teamed up with funk/jazz band War. While Burdon wouldn’t have another hit after this, War went on the crush it repeatedly in the 70s.

What began as a side project for Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen of The Jefferson Airplane became a full time band. Hot Tuna was a showcase for their musical chops and the instrumental “Water Song” from 1972’s Burgers is no exception.

“Farewell Transmission” from Jason Molina’s final Songs: Ohia album, Magnolia Electric Co. is the opening track to a masterful album. Steve Albini recorded the album and Molina was hitting his peak as a singer, songwriter and player. Haunting and gorgeous.

From the 4th J. Geils Band album, Bloodshot, “Give it to Me” captures their raucous live intensity in the studio. This one found its way into the lower reaches of the top 40 in 1973.

1974’s Natty Dread was the first album released as Bob Marley and the Wailers (as opposed to The Wailers) and the first recorded without former bandmates Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. “Lively Up Yourself” opens the album and became Marley’s perennial concert opener.

Graham Parker and the Rumour’s “Local Girls” comes from 1979’s Squeezing Out Sparks, their 4th album. Funny how he, Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson were all lumped together back then as new wave’s angry young men.

The first real surprise is Dorothy Ashby, jazz harpist (yes, jazz harpist), laying down a funky groove on 1968’s “Afro-Harping.” This one swings and grooves like nobody’s business. A-plus!

There’s nothing really wrong with Dire Straits and they managed a handful of stellar tunes, but I just don’t need to hear them too much. “Down to the Waterline” opened their 1978 debut and it’s great. But there’s a reason I walked away so long ago. And I won’t be back very often. Sorry guys

Jerry Garcia lived to play music. In the early 70s when The Grateful Dead weren’t on the road he often teamed up with keyboardist Merl Saunders and they melded rock, jazz, country and blues in legendary live sets. Here they offer up a version of Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” from 1973’s Live at Keystone.

Beck’s surf music inspired “Gamma Ray” from 2008’s Modern Guilt gets roughed up with a ragged Jay Reatard remix. Finally a little volume to counter the soporific haze of Week 4.

One of the biggest clunkers is Phish bassist Mike Gordon’s reggae-light “Yarmouth Road” from 2014’s Overstep, his 4th solo album. I am sure the fans love this one live, but NOPE, just nope.

In 2002 Broken Social Scene seemed to come out of nowhere with the gorgeous pop of their second album, You Forgot It In People. “Looks Just Like the Sun” is just one of the many great songs on that sleeper album.

Shortly after the Jimi Hendrix Experience broke up in 1969, Jimi began jamming with bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles. They played four shows on New Year’s Eve, 1969 and New Year’s Day, 1970 at the Fillmore East. Out of these legendary concerts they culled the Band of Gypsys 1970 live album. “Who Knows” is an epic track pitting Hendrix against Miles in nine minutes of vocal and musical improvisation.

Backed by most of Fairport Convention, Nick Drake brings us the electric folk of “Hazey Jane II” from his perfect 1970 album Bryter Layter.

Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso wrote “Panis Et Circenses” (Bread and Circuses), the opening track from the debut album by tropicalia legends, Os Mutantes.

Richard Swift is currently a member of The Shins and a touring member of The Black Keys. In 2008 he released the Ground Trouble Jaw EP. “The Bully” combines his surly spoken vocals with a ridiculous falsetto in a faux-fifties knockoff. Recommended.

Kraftwerk’s influence on electronic, dance, hip-hop and popular music in general can’t be overstated. “Computer Love” was the lead single from 1981’s revolutionary Computer World. Classic song from a classic album by a classic band.

“Cannibal Resource” opens Dirty Projectors’ 2009 album, Bitte Orca. Arguably their finest work and easily one of the best albums from that year, the music defies easy categorization, but rewards repeated listening.

“Range Life,” the song that got Pavement kicked off the 1994 Lollapalooza tour for dissing Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins, was the third single from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

“Bitterblue” comes from Cat Stevens’ 1971 juggernaut, Teaser and the Firecat. Unfortunately overshadowed by three hit singles, the track still packs a punch 44 years later.

Then it gets WEIRD. You may know “Look at Your Game, Girl” from Guns ‘N Roses “The Spaghetti Incident?” but it was originally recorded by Charles Manson in 1967. With his weak voice and acoustic guitar, the song is notable only for being a shitty song recorded by one of the the 20th century’s most notorious criminals.

Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills teamed up in 1968 for two days of recording that yielded Super Session. Bloomfield and Kooper tracked side one on the first day while Stills and Kooper cranked out side two the follwing day. Side two features a marathon version of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.”

the squonk — The Squonk, the crybaby of mythical creatures

Closing out this week’s playlist, it’s Genesis with “Squonk” from 1976’s Trick of the Tail. A squonk is a legendary creature from the forests of Pennsylvania. If captured it dissolves in pool of tears. Phil Collins reluctantly tracked the lead vocal on this track and became the lead singer in the wake of Peter Gabriel’s departure.

Spotify, my strategy for this week is to game your curation algorithm and spice up our relationship. Everything I listen to this week will be difficult, obscure and unpredictable. I will know Monday if I can beat your machine at its own game.

Discover and Rediscover – Week 3 of Spotify Weekly

Three weeks in and I am still impressed with my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify. Each week has expanded upon the previous, delving deeper into my musical history and digging up even more unique artists and forgotten favorites. This week is another compelling mix of old, new, hits, misses and never-weres. While previous weeks had a certain flow from popular to obscure or grouped songs together loosely along decades or genres, this week leapfrogs around with delightful unpredictability. The only theme seems to be an overwhelming number of songs form 1967. While a few segues are jarring and there are a few clunkers, this week might be the best yet.

Opening the set is “Multi-Family Garage Sale (Bargain-Bin Mix)” from the wonderful and almost forgotten Land of the Loops. This was in heavy rotation on my Sony DiscMan way back when. What a joy to hear the cut-and-paste magic of this track from 1996’s Bundle of Joy.

Jumping back almost 30 years we get Neil Young’s stellar Buffalo Springfield Again opener “Mr. Soul,” a classic song from a classic album. So much talent (and ego) crammed into one group. It’s no wonder they imploded.

Then we get what might be the biggest clunker from three weeks of curated music. Daniel Lanois is a brilliant producer, but “The Maker” from 2008’s Acadie is a perfect example of music for people who don’t like music, but don’t want anyone to know.

However, we get right back on track with Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats with the dark garage stomp of “I’ll Cut You Down” from 2011’s Blood Lust. Never heard ’em before, but sign me up for more.

From Animal Collective’s 2004 album, Sung Tongs, it’s “Leaf House,” the mesmerising opening track. They got better with later releases, but this track shows their early promise and brilliance.

Hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years since we first heard The Pixies, but ‘Caribou” from their debut, Come On Pilgrim, is still a gripping introduction to one of the finest bands of their time.

While their brand new release is promising, Wilco seemed to lose the plot a long way back, but “Handshake Drugs” from 2004’s A Ghost is Born is one of my favorites from Tweedy and company.

Wow! Finally a little bit of classic 70s instrumental soul funk with Billy Preston and “Outa Space.” Spotify delivered on my wish for a broader, more diverse selection. Baby steps, people, baby steps.

I missed out on most of Van Morrison’s 80s output and when I hear songs from that era I am amazed at how damn good he has remained for a half century. “Cleaning WIndows” from 1982’s Beautiful Visions is a keeper.

It’s easy to remember The Lovin’ Spoonful as a mid-sixties hit factory that churned out a handful of Top 40 songs, but “Darling Be Home Soon” is largely forgotten. This lush production with strings, horns and a delicate John Sebastian vocal was featured on the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola’s You’re A Big Boy Now in 1966.

Parquet Courts made their name with Pavement influenced rock, but they are much more than imitators. “Uncast Shadow of a Southern Myth” from 2014’s Content Nausea is a slow burner until the final cathartic explosion of screaming and guitars. The epic 30 second fadeout is a great touch.

Now we are on a roll. The Brian Jonestown Massacre delivers with “Straight Up and Down.” (If you haven’t seen Dig!, the documentary following the parallel careers of TBJM and The Dandy Warhols, stop what you’re doing, seriously.) Anton Newcombe’s musical trainwreck delivers on every album and this song from 1996 is genius. There is an even better 11 minute version out there kicking around as well.

Jim James, the beautiful voice from My Morning Jacket, offers up “Know ‘Til Now,” the lead single from his 2013 solo album. Channeling an old sixties soul vibe, he veers far away from the roots rock of his band.

Then we segue perfectly into the classic white boy soul rave-up “I’m a Man’ from Steve Winwood and The Spencer Davis Group. Hard to believe Winwood was still a teenager when he tracked this 1967 masterpiece.

The Strawberry Alarm Clock’s “Incense and Peppermints” is frozen in the acid-laced amber of 1967. What started as a B-side became their defining legacy. It’s a one hit wonder that captures the hippy zeitgeist at its absolutely goofiest.

“I Looked Away” leads off the classic Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs from Derek and the Dominos. 45 years on this 1970 album stills kills it with great songs by arguably one of the finest bands ever assembled.

Arthur Russell, who defies easy definition and leaped from style to style gives us the quietly beautiful “Close My Eyes’ from 2008’s posthumous compilation of unreleased material, Love is Overtaking Me. Folk, classical, disco, jazz, Mr. Russell could do it all.

“Ride Me High” is a delightful, understated 1976 cut from JJ Cale’s 4th album, “Troubador.” Drawing on blues, rockabilly and a bit of country, Cale makes every track sound easy, but under the hood his songs are wildly inventive.

Devo could do no wrong for their first four albums and their commercial peak was 1980’s Freedom of Choice. “Girl U Want” treads the fine line between their early herky-jerky guitar driven songs with their increasing use of synthesizers.

Smith is a band I knew from the inner sleeves of old ABC/Dunhill LPs, but I never knew their 1969 Top 10 cover of Burt Bacharach’s, “Baby It’s You from the A Band Called Smith album. This one’s a scorcher with a kick ass lead vocal from Gayle McCormick.

spotify discover weekly 4

“Itchycoo Park” from 1967 is one of the biggest Small Faces’ hits with the unforgettable psychedelic guitar flanging. This was a blockbuster single in the UK and the lead cut off their second album, There Are But Four Small Faces, in the US.

From 1967’s Surrealistic Pillow by The Jefferson Airplane, the acoustic “Embryonic Journey” is a showcase of guitarist Jorma Kaukonen’s talents and a single listen is all you need to confirm his status as one of the great players of the late 60s and beyond.

Galaxie 500 only released 3 studio albums but their legacy and influence have endured since their 1991 breakup. “Strange” from 1989’s On FIre captures their essence perfectly with Dean Wareham’s fractured, vulnerable lead vocals and the band’s dreamy guitar pop. Wonderful.

Slint largely devised the template for post-rock over the course of two albums. All rising guitar tension and no catharsis, “Good Morning Captain” is the masterful closing track from 1991’s Spiderland (and showed up a few years later on the soundtrack to Kids).

From the first notes of fuzzed out guitar The Count Five’s (yes, they wore Dracula capes on stage) “Psychotic Reaction” is one of the great garage classics from 1966.

The Damned’s “Neat Neat Neat,” is their second single and the opening track on debut album, Damned Damned Damned. From Barney Bubbles’ (RIP) cover art to the 12 songs within, you can’t do better than this classic example of 1977 British punk.

Cass McCombs’ songs always take repeated listens for the music to take hold and carry the listener away. 2007’s “That’s That” from Dropping the Writ is no exception. Each listen draws you in and slowly reveals its quiet magic.

Then, we’ve got Supertramp’s “Bloody Well Right” from 1974’s Crime of the Century. This was likely the first song many heard from this oft-maligned band. I might not have included it on the playlist, but the list will completely change by Monday. Onward!

The penultimate song is The Jam’s “That’s Entertainment,” one of the most powerful moments from a band that delivered dozens of powerful moments across five years and six albums. Ending side one of 1980’s Sound Affects, the song counters a bright acoustic attack with an ironic look at the difficult lives of the British working class.

Closing out the set is Widespread Panic’s cover of JJ Cale’s “Travelin’ Light.” I prefer the original and the whole laid back jam band vibe doesn’t really cut it. However, if I hadn’t seen the band name first, it might have been different. Widespread Panic caused me to, um, panic.

One thing I love about these playlists is right in the title, Discover. Each week I’ve discovered something new and remarkable. This week is no exception. Two new artists and a handful of songs I’ve never heard by artists I know well. It’s also a chance to rediscover things I’ve forgotten. I still hope it stretches far beyond the mostly rock diet it has served up. In the Apple Music vs Spotify war, Spotify is clearly winning with two great hours of music picked for me every week. Again, I can’t wait until Monday.

Welcome to the Machine – Week 2 of Spotify’s Discover Weekly

Welcome to the machine! A computer is making mixtapes just for me and they are better than just about any mortal mix. Yep, it’s week two of Spotify’s Discover Weekly and they just get me, like really get me.

Week one was damn good. Maybe a little heavy on the sixties and seventies, but it was two hours well spent. This week it’s back to the future with a mix that’s centered in the nineties, but stretches from the late sixties all the way up to this year. Of course the playlist dips its toes in the seventies, eighties and oughties (yeah, I just wrote that, sorry).

What I like is my curated mix is eminently listenable from start to finish. Just like last week the sequencing is random, but in a can’t-wait-to-hear-the-next-song way. Jumping from decade to decade and style to style, it’s unpredictable and surprising at times. I guess they’ve got three years of listening data and know exactly what I like.

Well, let’s get to the music.

First up is The Olivia Tremor Control’s “Define a Transparent Dream” from their debut masterpiece, Dust at Cubist Castle. With its touches of the Beatles and their own psychedelic magic, OTC sets the tone for much of what’s to come later in the mix. Next, TV on the Radio goes a cappella with their 2003 cover of The Pixies’ “Mr. Greives.” Then we head way back for “Is This What You Wanted,” the opening cut from Leonard Cohen’s 1974 New Skin for the Old Ceremony. Then there are a couple of decent 70s rockers, Thin Lizzy’s “Running Back” from Jailbreak and “Funk #49” from The James Gang’s second album.

Right when I was getting a little bored, Avey Tare of Animal Collective comes through with the murky and mystical “Laughing Hieroglyphic” from his debut solo record, Down There. The mind-bending continues with Austin’s Holy Wave and “Do You Feel It” from 2014. Next up it sounds like a cracked T-Rex or maybe Devendra Banhart, but it’s David Vandervelde from his first album (as The Moonstation House Band). Capping off this rewarding group of songs is the stone 1966 classic “You’re Gonna Miss Me” with its unforgettable electric jug and killer harmonica from The Thirteenth Floor Elevators. Can we possibly go up from here?

Let’s say we go sideways right into Blake Mills with the power pop punch of “Hey Lover” from 2010. Then, boom, it’s Joe Jackson from his “angry young man” years kicking ass with “I’m the Man” from his 1979 record of the same name. Courtney Barnett doesn’t let up with “History Eraser” from last year’s Double EP. Sonic Youth might have done better songs, but were never cooler than “Dirty Boots” from 1990’s Goo.

Love’s “Alone Again Or” is a wonderful song and it has been covered by bands like UFO and The Damned, but Calexico’s 2004 version is magical. They capture the original and make it their own simultaneously. The Kink’s cheeseball, but still awesome “Celluloid Heroes” is next. Originally a B-side to “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” The Buzzcock’s “Why Can’t I Touch It?” is a minor masterpiece. “Just Like Honey” will always be The Jesus and Mary Chain’s defining song, all pop bliss buried under mountains of feedback and sneer.

So I am not supposed to like Phish on principle for a lot of reasons, but when I found myself grooving on “Wolfman’s Brother,” I went to the track listing. Who is this? Phish! Damn it. Yeah, this is why Spotify gets me. They find a great song from a band I don’t like.

Then we’ve got Jason Lytle’s Grandaddy and his loopy lo-fi A.M. 180,” followed by the swirling beauty of Tame Impala’s “Enders Toi” from 2012 and Dinosaur Jr. with the Guitar Hero and Rock Band classic “Feel the Pain.” My Morning Jacket’s 2008 “Evil Urges” with its light funk and falsetto has aged well. So has Built To Spill’s 1999 guitar drenched Keep It LIke a Secret and lead track “The Plan.”

Again we go sideways and back in time to 1982 and The English Beat’s “I Confess” from their third and last album, Special Beat Service. Next is a live version of “Ride a White Swan,” the first hit from T. Rex going all the way back to 1970. Digging even further back to 1968 it’s the crazy I-never-heard-this gem of this week’s mix and Jacque Dutronc’s 1968 French psychedelic nugget, “Hippie Hippie Hourrah” (covered in 2005 by Black Lips). Alabama Shakes surprised me with this year’s “Future People.” Nicely done.

Closing out the set it’s REM’s always delightful “Harborcoat” from 1984’s Reckoning, Robert Palmer’s early hit “Sneaking Sally Through the Alley” and Jeff Beck’s 1968 rocking version of the folk classic “Morning Dew” with a young Rod Stewart on searing lead vocals.

I keep hoping for a little more electronic, industrial, soul and hip-hop but it’s only been two weeks. I am impressed at how well they understand my tastes and my fascination with random juxtaposition of songs and styles. Last week I mentioned how I am using my 90 day trial period to test drive Apple Music, but Spotify captured my attention this past week. They haven’t won the war for my money, but they are winning the battle for my time. What do you think of Discover Weekly? Who’s winning the streaming music war? I would love to know what you think.

Spotify’s Discover Weekly – Music Picked Just For Me

“It’s like having your best friend make you a personalized mixtape every single week.” – Spotify

Spotify definitely isn’t taking a wait-and-see attitude with Apple Music. They punched back at Apple’s curated playlists this week with Discover Weekly, a unique two hour playlist of tunes crafted specifically for each user based on listening history and that of similar listeners. Updated every Monday, this “mixtape of fresh music” is a fascinating look at how a machine takes user data and predicts what I will like.

I couldn’t wait to see what my playlist had in store for me for several reasons.

First of all, I am more than a music fan. I long ago sprinted past music music nerd and rocketed beyond straight into music obsessive territory. As a kid the local record store was my favorite hangout. When other kids collected baseball cards, I spent my money on Beatles and Rolling Stones records. I was a DJ for years at various college stations. My library is somewhere around 1500 vinyl albums, 600 singles, 3000 CDs, 400 cassettes and about 8 months worth of digitized music. Yep, I have more music than I can ever really consume.

Second, I’ve made dozens and dozens of mixtapes over the years and the idea of someone (or a machine) I don’t know creating a playlist for me is interesting and a challenge. Rarely listening to the same thing twice, I jump from decade to decade, genre to genre pretty quickly. Rooted in classic rock, soul, funk, punk and new wave, my tastes run from classic country and blues through hip-hop, post-punk into lo-fi, indie, electronic, ambient and beyond. They’ve got two hours and thirty songs to make an impact.

Third, I am still debating between Spotify and Apple Music. Who will win my monthly fee? I am a longtime Spotify user and Apple Music will have to work damn hard to win me over. I’ve all but abandoned most physical formats so my final pick needs to give me everything, make it convenient and surprise me with great music and features.

So let’s get to the music!

This first week’s playlist is actually pretty strong. Heavy on sixties and seventies rock with a few tracks from the eighties thrown in, the list misses about 70% of what I like and listen to on a regular basis. Every song is at least three decades old and most of what I’ve been streaming lately has been relatively new. However, the list is pretty solid and a rewarding listen with a mix of hits, obvious album tracks, wonderful surprises and a few things I’ve never heard. While a real mixtape has some flow and a sense of theme or narrative, this mix is wonderfully random and enjoyable.

Opening nicely with former Byrd Gene Clark’s “Strength of Strings” from 1974’s underrated and masterful No Other, the playlist rambles and stumbles through obvious choices from Nick Lowe, John Cale and Neil Young before the first surprise. Scott Walker’s (of Walker Brothers fame) baroque pop treasure “30 Century Man” from 1969’s Scott 3.

As if to apologize for getting somewhat obscure, the list reverts to the hits and “So You Want To Be a Rock ‘N’ Roll Star,” one of the Byrd’s last Top 40 hits. Then it meanders (in a good way) through The Rutles, Talking Heads, Todd Rundgren and Traffic before landing on the always stunning “Hallogallo,” the lead song from Neu!’s 1972 debut.

Then there is a real surprise. Up until now I’ve been familiar with everything. Twelve tracks in, they knock me out with a delightfully obscure choice. Not only do I not know the song or the group, the track is great. From the late 60s Canterbury scene, psychedelic band Arzachel kills it with the sprawling instrumental “Queen St. Gang.” I dig into their biography and discover it was Steve Hillage of Gong fame and players who went on to become Egg of Canterbury prog-rock notoriety.

The middle of the playlist gets progressively odder and more interesting. Can’s “Moonshake,” Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” with its appropriation of a Liverpool choir singing Rogers and Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Roxy Music’s “Both Ends Burning,” “Cowboy Movie” from David Crosby’s mind blowing If Only I Could Remember My Name and Little Feat’s “Trouble” all lead into two “wow, I’ve never heard this” tracks.

Patto’s “The Man” is a heavy jazz-rock track from their 1970 debut album. My favorite trivia bit about this band is drummer John Halsey portrayed drummer Barrington Womble in The Rutles.

Then, we’ve got Manfred Mann Chapter 3, the little known missing link between Manfred Mann and Manfred Mann’s Earth band. Another heavy jazz-rock number, “One Way Glass” has a deep throbbing beat and kick ass horn section. This one is definitely a keeper.

After a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Yuung song we get Mick Ronson’s “Only After Dark,” “Lorelei” from the Tom Tom Club, Spirit’s kick ass “Fresh Garbage,” Beach Boy Dennis Wilson’s “River Song,” and XTC’s alter ego The Dukes of Stratosphear’s rollicking “25 O’Clock.”

The 4th “never heard it” is Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera’s 801 project “TNK (Tomorrow Never Knows)” from 1976’s 801 Live. This is one of my sacred Beatles songs. I’ve heard several covers (The Chameleons, Danielle Dax, The Mission, and Phil Collins) and this one is particularly special. Brian Eno sings and Manzanera’s guitar playing is spectacular.

The playlist comes toward the end and swings back to the more recognizable. There is Klaatu’s ” Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” (later covered by The Carpenters), CSN’s “Dark Star,” ELO’s “Boy Blue” and the final stomper, “No Quarter,” from Led Zeppelin.

There it is, two hours of music that Spotify picked just for me. Overall, I was very impressed and enjoyed the playlist from start to finish. It definitely focused on a very narrow sliver of the music I like. However, good choices, fun surprises and enough music I’ve never heard before captured and kept my attention. I can’t wait to see what they serve up this coming Monday.

What do you think of Discover Weekly? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Just in time for Spring – My Favorite Music of 2012

I saw the first Best of 2012 Music list a few days before Thanksgiving . It seemed premature and incomplete as there were 6 weeks left to go and I still had plenty of listening to do before I could even get my head around a year’s worth of music. Typically, I hit publish between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Not this year, not even close. Before 2012 is forgotten forever let’s get this one out the door so I can focus on the music of 2013.

Every year I hope to offer up the music that mattered to me as opposed to a balanced, definitive list of what we’re supposed to like. Plenty of other folks can do that. LargeHeartedBoy.com compiled over 1000 Best Of lists if you really want to dig deep into any genre and discover the music that defined 2012. I just want to share some great music and hear about what you liked. Oddly enough a record from 2011 informed and shaped the listening path I took last year. The Caretaker’s An Empty Bliss Beyond This World set the tone with its quiet, otherworldly beauty and texture. Much of what I sought out in 2012 featured longer songs, older music, drones, repetition and less emphasis on guitars and individual songs.

TOP TEN

Godspeed You Black Emperor – Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!

It’s been 10 years since Yanqui U.X.O. and I had almost forgotten about the sprawling majesty of this band and their epic sonic assaults. I have most of their catalogue and it amounts to a mere 19 tracks, yet each record requires repeated, attentive listening. Allelujah! is an immersive journey best played loud. Two cascading guitar driven cathartic sound collages and two layered, scouring drones This is beautiful noise.

Swans – The Seer

Another epic from a band that could be hitting their peak (or maybe that was Children of God) after 30 years. Swans split in 1997 and leader Michael Gira focused on solo work, Angels of Light and running Young God Records. In 2010 Swans reconvened with the solid My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky. The Seer combines the best of the band’s pummeling, punishing earlier sound and adds light and space to an uncompromising, incredible two hours of music.

John Talabot – fIN

Combining deep house, retro techno, found sounds and samples, plus a strong pop undercurrent, Spanish DJ John Talabot has created a record that bubbles and percolates across 11 gorgeous tracks. He’s been around in various incarnations for over a decade but fIN is his proper debut.

Moon Duo – Circles

Fantastic drugged-out psychedelia with a propulsive Krautrock undertow, Moon Duo’s music is driven intoxicating guitar noise barely masking groovy pop sensibilities. Wooden Shjips guitarist Ripley Johnson is three albums deep into what seemed to start as a side project, but is now definitely much more.

DIIV – Oshin

With a sound reminiscent of early Echo and the Bunnymen or pre-Starfish Church, DIIV do dream-pop with sweet jangling guitars and vocals that ebb and flow across the songs. A few individual tracks stand out, but this all works together better as a blissful whole.

Andy Stott – Luxury Problems

Stott’s two 2011 records were my introduction to his bass-heavy, pulsating production. Both were stellar releases that revealed more and more with each successive listen. Luxury Problems slows down the tempo and adds layers of gorgeous vocals and textures to create something new and incredible beyond its dub, techno, house foundations.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes

Mr. Pink can be a bit polarizing. His lo-fi subversive twist on 60s and 70s pop isn’t for everyone. There’s a little Zappa darkness lurking under the bright, sunny tunes. His vocals take a bit getting used to and you always feel like he is playing an elaborate prank on his fans. However, it is difficult to deny the songs. If you hated it the first time, give it a second listen.

The Chromatics – Kill For Love

The Chromatics defy easy description. As soon as you think you’ve pinned them down, they head off in a different direction. Combining synth-pop with disco, post-punk, indie rock and moments of icy minimalism, this album kicks off with a thrilling deconstruction of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) and just gets better from there. It had been five years since their last album, but it was worth the wait.

Field Music – Plumb

On their fourth album the Brewis brothers draw on both lush melodic pop and prog-rock, but strip the sound down to its essence. The clever songwriting, sharp musicianship and tight harmonies make this my favorite batch of songs since their debut.

Darcys – Aja

The Darcys take one of the most highly-polished, perfectly produced pop albums of all time and deconstruct it as a post-rock homage to Steely Dan’s masterpiece. Their tense, sparse take on the original material helps it transcend the novelty and stand on its own.

TEN MORE

Advance Base – A Shut-In’s Prayer Sadness and cynicism from Owen Ashworth who did the same as Casiotone For The Painfully Alone.

Pinback – Information Retrieved Better living through precision. They do what they do and they do it well.

Scott Walker – Bish Bosch Difficult listening at its finest. Rumbling, clattering, caterwauling majesty.

Yeasayer – Fragrant World The difficult third album from a band that nobody can agree on.

Shackleton – Music for the Quiet Hour Dub and darkness on an epic sonic journey to the center of your mind.

Grizzly Bear – Shields It’s all about the details. Listen, listen and listen again.

Demdike Stare – Elemental Parts 1 & 2 Sloooowww, dark and droning. The low end will rattle your brain.

Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action at a Distance Deerhunter guitar player, Lockett Pundt, creates an elegantly restrained album of gauzy, dreamy, indie pop.

Dan Deacon – America He shoots for the title of “serious composer” and scores.

Scuba – Personality Techno as an escape hatch from the world of dubstep

What were your favorites? I am interested in what YOU liked.

Coming soon – Best 2012 reissues and compilations, maybe just in time for summer.

Celebrating the Cassingle

Music formats come and go. 78s, 45s, LPs, 8-tracks, reel-to-reel, cassettes, CDs, MP3s. Some come back again and others disappear. On one hand vinyl is stronger than it has been in almost three decades while the lowly cassingle (or cassette single) has been banished to the crap can of history. Even the much-maligned 8-track has made an ironic comeback, the cassingle will likely never make a revisionist return. It was designed to be cheap and disposable.

cassingles, cassette singles — Music you will deny ever buying

The cassingle emerged in the 80s as an inexpensive, portable replacement for the dying 7″ market. From 1987-1995 sales boomed. In 1990 there were more than 90 million sold. By 1996 sales had dropped off a cliff and by 1999 it was all over. Wrapped in a simple cardboard sleeve, shrinkwrapped and sold for a couple of bucks, they were the YouTube clips of their day. Some had the single and a b-side, but many just gave you the single on both sides of the tape. Kids could buy the hits and slap them in the Walkman, boombox or car stereo. Instant gratification in the analog world!

Little did I know that in my very own basement there lurked a treasure trove of these three minute nightmares. While moving things around so I could paint the walls and floor I made the discovery. Tucked away in a box, more than a hundred of them waited for me to come along and unleash their big-haired, shoulder-padded power. There must be at least one nugget buried in this goldmine. I dumped out the box and began digging. George Michael, Janet Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Roxette, Paula Abdul and countless other misdemeanors against music. Shuddering as I dug further, I uncovered three true atrocities, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, Gerardo and Billy Ray Cyrus.

cassingles, billy ray cyrus — Crimes against music

I almost gave up. And then I found it buried underneath everything. Pure gold. A song that will live forever. Yes, it was BIZ MARKIE! Now I just need a cassette player and I am in business.

Biz Markie Cassingle — Nobody beats the Biz

If you want to know more there is a website, Cassette Single World, dedicated to fans and the digital collection of “every Cassette Single ever released.” Enjoy!

Swallowing the Ocean – The Case for Information Overload

One of my favorite books as a kid was The Five Chinese Brothers. I loved the story of five identical siblings who escaped a wrongful conviction and death sentence through smarts and special skills. However, my favorite part and the bit forever burned in my memory was the first brother who could swallow the sea. The thought of uncovering hidden treasure, pirate skeletons, shipwrecks, exotic fish and the unknown, unseen bottom of the sea was irresistible to a curious kid.

Today I am just as curious if not more. I want new information, hidden knowledge, the practical and the ephemeral. Every day I want to swallow not just the sea, but the ocean. Scouring websites, twitter, email newsletters, rss feeds and countless other sources, I strip mine for the remarkable, the random and the wonderful. Deploying apps and search engines, I connect the infinite dot-to-dot of our world. My desktop, iPhone and iPad are gateways to the curated and serendipitous discovery of knowledge, both useful and useless.

Ten Steps to a Successful Brand Portfolio Strategy. Read it. Peter Saville’s inspiration for the cover art on Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures. Watched it. A new book about the Mars Attacks trading cards. Ordered it.

My meme driven life can be a daunting task. There is so much ocean and I can only devour so much. When I finally end my day and reluctanly put my phone on the bedside table for the last time, I recount what I learned and try to synthesize and make connections. Like the first brother I must release the ocean and start again the next day.

Last week I heard a terrific Creative Mornings lecture from designer Simon Collison who advised us all to clear away the distractions. Ignore the endless twitter stream, avoid email, turn off your devices and focus on the task at hand. Be productive. Design. Build. Make. If the information is important enough, it will find you.

I agree that we need to step away from distraction to focus and finish the job, but there is too much to learn, see and experience. Too many great ideas. Too much remarkable brilliance to fit into such a short day. I am on information overload and it’s a good thing. The hunting and gathering energizes and drives me forward. It’s what I do. Excuse me, but the tide is rising and I’ve got an ocean to swallow.

If a song gets played in the woods and there is nobody there to meme it, does it make a sound?

I had a fascinating conversation with a great and very smart friend last week. Among the many things we discussed, we touched on what it means to be culturally relevant in 2012.

With mass audiences rapidly splintering and subdividing into various tribes and subcultures, does broad cultural relevance exist beyond huge news stories, live sports and blockbuster movies? We all watch our own shows, listen to our own music and find the news and information that matters to us. Everything that isn’t interesting or relevant, we just ignore.

So what is a hit anymore? The shelf life for anything that sparks our imagination has become so short. New shows, songs, articles, movies, books and memes crowd our inboxes and social feeds every day, demanding our limited attention. If something doesn’t grab our immediate interest, chances are it will disappear quickly.

Music is especially hard hit as physical formats are rapidly disappearing and most music can be found for free without much effort. Plus, there is just so much available. We can all find the music that matters most to us and the multi-platinum crossover records just don’t happen anymore. I’ve noticed that the only songs that really ascend to mass popularity are those that become omnipresent cultural memes, parodied, lip dubbed and burned into our collective cultural conscience.

So does the song make the meme or does the meme make the song?

Two recent songs we’ve all heard way too many times are perfect examples of what it means to be a hit in 2012. Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” have both become mega-hits, overplayed and hogging the cultural spotlight. But are they relevant on their own merits or because they have become ubiquitous hit memes that reach way beyond the original work?

I heard “Call Me Maybe” several times, but it was the Harvard baseball team’s video that seemed to propel it into the stratosphere. A friend sent me the Gotye video months ago, but it was just another catchy song until the Walk Off the Earth cover or the Star Wars parody showed up on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Cultural relevance almost seems determined by the broad meta-meming (yeah, I think I just made that word up) of the original rather than the original itself.

Will this phenomenon extend across all forms of content where everything becomes an ultimately disposable meme? Or will content become a truly fascinating and creative space where art, music, film, television and books all serve as source material for a virtual cultural palimpsest with deep meaning and resonance? My guess leans toward the former, but I want to know what you think.

Clearing the Archives – Best Music of 2009

In my ongoing efforts to cram more music on my list every year, for 2009 I divided my favorites up in 3 groups.

1 Stuff other folks turned me on to
2 Stuff I liked
3 Stuff that everybody seemed to agree on

YOURS
worriedaboutsatan
avett brothers
wooden shjips
elvis perkins
falty dl
biblio
department of eagles
atlas sound
crystal antlers
antlers

MINE
phantom band
fuck buttons
big pink
twilight sad
volcano choir
wild beasts
neon indian
girls
nodzzz
yacht

OURS
phoenix
passion pit
animal collective
pains of being pure at heart
grizzly bear
yo la tengo
bill callahan
camera obscura
cass mccombs
flaming lips

Clearing the Archives – Best Music of 2010

Top ten
Foals – Total Life Forever
Radio Dept – Clinging to a Scheme
Das Racist – Shut Up Dude
Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
Liars – Sisterworld
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

Ten more well worth hearing
Stornoway – Beachcomber’s Windowsill
Toro y Moi – Causers of This
Sun Airway – Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandeliers
Scuba – Triangulation
The Chap – Well Done Europe
Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’
Junip – Fields
Field Music – Measure
Owen Pallett – Heartland
Gonjasufi – A Sufi and a Killer

Three best reissues
Robert Wyatt – Box Set
The Fall – The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall
Orange Juice – Coals to Newcastle

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