LCD Soundsystem : Losing My Edge

It's like a hipster's cheatsheet! Where else can you find a list of some of the best overlooked and obscure but influential and important must of the last 40+ years. I have made it project to look up the artist I don't know and find out more about them. James Murphy also shows his musical diversity by namechecking everyone from Captin Beefheart to Daft Punk. And the outro list..."This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses, Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, the Germs, Section 25, Althea and Donna, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby, PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, the Human League, the Normal, Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Monks, Niagra, Joy Division, Lower 48, the Association, Sun Ra, Scientists, Royal Trux, 10cc, Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel, Soulsonic Force ("just hit me"!), Juan Atkins, David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil! Scott! Heron!, the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines, the Swans, the Soft Cell, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics." Even forgetting the lyrics, that bassline is lots of fun too.

The White Stripes :: Get Behind Me Satan

I remember reading an interview a while ago where Jack said something like "I am going to concentrate on the guitar and forget the harmonica". What happened Jack? After the garage-blues-rock monster Elephant, it seems like the Stripes could have made another record of primarily guitar/drums songs and completly demolished the competion via another "Seven Nation Army"-style romp. Instead, the Stripes take a left hand turn, and I am very glad for it. The album covers a lot of material stylistically and instrumentally, but retains the themes of sin and betrayal. I immediately loved "My Doorbell" for its simplicity and Jack's weird way of slurring the word "I'vebeenthinkin'bout my doorbell / When ya gonna ring it? / When ya gonna ring it?" The piano definitely works for me, and Jack's vocal styling gets highlighted more than ever. I think the record is engaging and although initially confusing in the amount of ground covered, rewards the listener with anther solid album by the Stripes.

Radiohead : How to Disappear Completely

Initially, I didn't like this song that much. After all the excitement generated by "The National Anthem" it seemed like a let down. But over time, I have grown to love this track for many reasons. I like the backstory that goes with the song. Supposedly, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe told Thom Yorke repeat to himself "I'm not here and this isn't happening" when he was upset. It also references a gig where the equipment went haywire ("Strobe lights and blown speakers"), showing that Radiohead are perfectionists, which I think makes their music better overall. They refuse to release substandard work and continue pushing themselves to make better music. Plus, Yorke makes the best use of his falsetto on this song, along with some more horns and Ondes Martenot (which sounds like the sad ending of all the hysteria in the previous track). This justifies once again why Radiohead is such an important band.

Elvis Costello : Watching the Detectives

When I like a really like a song, I want to like the artists entire catalog of work. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Elvis Costello. Everything from My Aim is True and This Year's Model is stellar, but his latter day material is harder for me to appreciate. Needless to say, this song makes up for it in my book because it is so good. The simple arrangement, especially the drum and keyboard work, make the song memorable. Costello delivers the lyrics in a biting manner, my favorite of which is "It only took my little fingers to blow you away". Maybe it's my love for ska/reagee beats that makes me like this song so much. But, if Costello can make a song like this that I love so much, I will continue to investigate his later material because I am sure there is something there I will like too.