Showing posts with label Red Hot Chili Peppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red Hot Chili Peppers. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

25 Deep Cuts from the Golden Age of Alternative Rock



Earlier this week I posted my list of the 100 Greatest Songs from the Golden Age of Alternative Rock. The mid nineties was a time when the music business was so prosperous that even minimal effort could result in a Gold record. I doubt anyone outside of the Deal family could name a second song by The Breeders yet Last Splash still went platinum. I contributed to many of those RIAA certifications (R.I.P. BMG 10 albums for a penny deals that they kept letting you quit and renew for a new batch of albums).

1. Anna Begins – Counting Crows: Not only one of my favorite deep cuts from the era, but one of my favorite songs ever in the history of the world. “Every time she sneezes I believe it is love” meant everything to me in my youth. Still does.

2. The World Has Turned and Left Me Here – Weezer: The Blue Album had the most songs of any album on my list as every song is great. This is my favorite of the rest, just another great teenage anthem.

3. Where Did You Sleep Last Night – Nirvana: Quite possibly the greatest performance ever to air on MTV Unplugged.

4. Warehouse – Dave Matthew Band: Record companies are usually good at releasing singles, but for some reasons the singles off of Dave Matthews Band albums are never my favorites. Ants Marching may be my fifth favorite song off their major label debut. The best is Warehouse which only get more epic when you hear it live. And thanks for the band’s penchant for releasing live albums, which will be easy to find because even though they always switch up set lists, there is always a good chance that this song will be represented.

5. Bad Habit – The Offspring: The ultimate road rage song. I probably listened to it way too much while learning to drive.

6. Immortality – Pearl Jam: No list is perfect and my own personal eyeballing of mine is there could have been a lot more Pearl Jam. It is probably after the success of the first album, they decided to step back from the spotlight not making music video or releasing proper singles leaving individual radio station to play their own favorites. Immortality is just the kind of mood I am in right now, but anything on those next two albums is worth checking out.

7. Let Me In – R.E.M.: Those first three R.E.M. albums from the nineties are worth checking out, this is probably the best track on their most fuzzed out album of the trio.

8. Happy Endings – Better than Ezra: I recently read an article where the lead singer suggested that they may have had Goo Goo Doll’s career had they been on a better record label and not one that went under. As a owner of all their albums sans their last I would have to agree as they made some of the best adult contemporary music of the past decade. You can hear them go down that root on songs like this.

9. Sad Songs and Waltzes – Cake: The band had a minor hit with their I Will Survive cover, another stand out on the same album was this Willie Nelson classic. The irony of course was during the alt-rock era, depressing songs were all the rage.

10. I'm the Ocean – Neil Young: The godfather of grunge hooked up with Pearl Jam and made an album which sounded exactly like you expected. This seven minute epic without a chorus is the highlight of the Mirror Ball album.

11. I Love You Mary Jane – Sonic Youth and Cypress Hill: When I first started working on my list I considered some more “alternative” rap song like Insane in the Brain. Instead I will include Cypress Hill’s awesomely weird collaboration with Sonic Youth for the Judgment Night Soundtrack where the two bonded over their love of the sticky icky. The song worked a lot better than their track with Pearl Jam.

12. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Smashing Pumpkins: In the of the alt-rock heyday, who would have expected the Smashing Pumpkins to start their double album with a sweet, well, melon collie, piano-based instrumental.

13. Sir Psycho Sexy – Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Peppers are weird to begin with, but this was easily their most bizarre track from Blood Sugar Sex Magic. The teenage version of myself loved the lady cop verse.

14. Slide Away – Oasis: That first album was brit-pop gold, this was definitely my favorite non-single.

15. The Wanderer – U2: Nirvana gets a lot of credit for the start of the alt-rock era, but with Achtung Baby, U2 was getting weird at the same time. They got even weirder on Zoorepa which ended with a country euro-trash song featuring Johnny Cash on vocals, a year before his carreer got resurrected with the American Recordings series.

16. Swing On This - Alice In Chains: Who would have guessed Alice in Chain would ever release a song that was actually danceable?

17. Pillar of Davidson – Live: There were plenty of epic songs on Throwing Copper, this song may have actually been the most epic.

18. Bogusflow – Beck: DGC Rarities vol. 1 was a must own by any alt-rock fan with plenty of rare gems. At the time, Beck was heading for one hit wonderdom and this drunken Bob Dylan type song was not going to help him out of that label but was awesome nonetheless. I am still waiting for vol. 2.

19. Mad Dog 20 / 20 – Teenage Fanclub: Fun fact: The first legal drink I ever bought was Mad Dog 20/20. I cannot confirm nor deny it is because of this song.

20. April 29, 1992 (Miami) – Sublime: Humorously the band actually got the date wrong in the actual lyrics song (April 26), legend has it that the take with the mistake was the best so they kept it.

21. Steven's Last Night In Town – Ben Folds Five: There were not many New Orleans inspired tracks during the alt rock era, but this one was really good.

22. Brother – Toad the Wet Sprocket: This was off their “rarities” album which was one of the few albums that was just as good as the “proper” albums in an artist discography.

23. Price to Pay – Blues Traveler: Just great storytelling in this song and of course plenty of harmonica.

24. Carrion – Fiona Apple: The big hits of this album were song of Fiona’s more angry songs; I also appreciate her more subtle songs like this one.

25. Nada – The Refreshments: In the introduction I mentioned how easy it was to get a Gold album, this is one of the few bands from the time that did not manage one and I am not sure why, I really enjoyed both of their albums. Maybe too southern and not enough alternative in their rock. And then too weird for the country crowd. Nada was a great way to end that first album.


Honorable Mentions

Shamrocks and Shenanigans (Butch Vig Mix) – House of Pain: Another rap song I considered for this list, but the Butch Vig version. Vig was fresh from producing Nevermind and a few years away from becoming a founding member of Garbage and gave an alt-rock bent to the song.

Iron Man – The Cardigans: I considered a couple songs by the band for this list but Lovefool was a bit too poppy and Been It just missed the cut (had I expanded the end date by a year, My Favorite Mistake would definitely made the list). But the album was much more weird and darker than you would expect from the group that brought you Lovefool, case in point this trippy cover of the Black Sabbath song.


Monday, June 02, 2014

The 100 Greatest Songs From the Golden Age of Alternative Rock





1. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

2. Sabotage - Beastie Boys

3. Would? - Alice in Chains

4. Creep - Radiohead

5. Loser - Beck

6. Undone - The Sweater Song - Weezer

7. Closer - Nine Inch Nails

8. Give It Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers

9. What I Got - Sublime

10. Mr. Jones - Counting Crows

11. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots

12. Come Out and Play - Offspring

13. No Rain - Blind Melon

14. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? - R.E.M.

15. Santa Monica - Everclear

16. Bullet With Butterfly Wings - The Smashing Pumpkins

17. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

18. Run-Around - Blues Traveler

19. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz

20. Killing In the Name - Rage Against the Machine

21. I Alone - Live

22. Alive - Pearl Jam

23. Only Happy When It Rains - Garbage

24. Bound for the Floor - Local H

25. Peaches - The Presidents of the United States of America

26. Low - Cracker

27. Mysterious Ways - U2

28. Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter

29. Liar - Rollins Band

30. All Mixed Up - 311

31. Song for the Dumped - Ben Folds Five

32. Pepper - Butthole Surfers

33. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand - Primitive Radio Gods

34. Not an Addict - K's Choice

35. Criminal - Fiona Apple

36. Drive - R.E.M.

37. Here and Now - Letters to Cleo

38. Popular - Nada Surf

39. Shine - Collective Soul

40. Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet

41. Bad Reputation - Freedy Johnston

42. Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana

43. Where It's At - Beck

44. The Distance - Cake

45. Cumbersome - Seven Mary Three

46. Self Esteem - Offspring

47. Supersonic - Oasis

48. Possum Kingdom - Toadies

49. Banditos - Refreshments

50. Good - Better Than Ezra

51. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

52. Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band

53. Live Forever - Oasis

54. Walk - Pantera

55. Rooster - Alice in Chains

56. Mockingbirds - Grant Lee Buffalo

57. Sleep to Dream - Fiona Apple

58. Spoonman - Soundgarden

59. Round Here - Counting Crows

60. 1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins

61. Spin the Bottle - Juliana Hatfield Three

62. Fall Down - Toad the Wet Sprocket

63. Possession - Sarah McLachlan

64. Fallín' - Teenage Fanclub and De La Soul

65. Desperately Wanting - Better Than Ezra

66. Santeria - Sublime

67. Bulls On Parade - Rage Against the Machine

68. Hitchhiker Joe - Rugburns

69. Longview - Green Day

70. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead

71. Cannonball - Breeders

72. Everlong - Foo Fighters

73. El Scorcho - Weezer

74. What Would You Say - Dave Matthews Band

75. Ruby Soho - Rancid

76. Everything Falls Apart - Dog's Eye View

77. Say It Ain't So - Weezer

78. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger

79. Push - Moist

80. My Name Is Mud - Primus

81. Battle of Who Could Care Less - Ben Folds Five

82. The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

83. Lump - The Presidents of the United States of America

84. Connected - Stereo MC's

85. Naked Eye - Luscious Jackson

86. Lithium - Nirvana

87. Date Rape - Sublime

88. Connection - Elastica

89. Buddy X - Neneh Cherry

90. The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe

91. Einstein On the Beach (For an Eggman) - Counting Crows

92. Buddy Holly - Weezer

93. I Got Id - Pearl Jam

94. Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing

95. #1 Crush - Garbage

96. All Apologies - Nirvana

97. Big Me - Foo Fighters

98. I Will Survive - Cake

99. Until It Sleeps - Metallica

100. Fell On Black Days - Soundgarden


For the purpose of this list, the Golden Age of Alternative Rock started with the release of Smells Like Teen Spirit and ended when Limp Bizcuit released their first album.


Tuesday, April 01, 2014

A Long, Long, Long, Long Time Ago, Before the Wind, Before the Snow



Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers

A year after the release of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, this month's induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’s prior record label released a greatest Hits package entitled What Hits!? (the second most self aware greatest hit package after Jimmy Buffett's Song(s) You Know By Heart). It was a sly nod to the fact that their first four albums could at best be considered a modest success and a cheap way to cash in on the band’s new found stardom on a different label. Back during those eighties albums, the Peppers were lucky to get played during 120 Minutes but in the post-Nirvana world, videos from Blood Sugar Sex Magic were in heavy rotation on MTV and alternative radio that popped up in the early nineties.

Unlike some grunge coattail-riders like Stone Temple Pilots and Bush, the Chili Peppers may gave benefited from the music that came out of the Pacific Northwest, but they were something entirely different, a mix of rock, funk, and rap, with three musicians that pushed every boundary and a lyricist that poured his whole heart on the page. John Frusciante created some of the most inventive riffs of all time which played off well with Flea’s funky bass and his rhythm section partner, the underappreciated Chad Smith.

Even though Frusciante and Smith were on their second album with the band, but the missing ingredient may have been producer Rick Rubin. As he tends to do, Rick took the other the top, hyperactive group and focused them leading to a more cohesive and more easily accessible sound. Rubin also famously found Anthony Kiedis’ poetry book and convinced him to take one entitled Under the Bridge to the band. Of course that song ended up being the album’s breakout hit and remains one of the biggest in the band’s history.

Under the Bridge may have broke the band in a big way, but first single Give it Away opened the door. The song was just pure focused energy, punk rock mixed with a funky bass line which makes it danceable if mosh pits are not your thing. Then there was the Anton Corbin music video, filmed in black in white in the desert with each band member with an increasingly epic hairdo.

And the album is not just pure funk with the random power ballad in the middle; the Peppers pushed their sound with songs like Breaking the Girl. An acoustic track with weird percussion and other instrumentation that sounds like it came from a medieval fair, and somehow it worked completely. The album concludes with Sir Psycho Sexy (not counting quick hidden Robert Johnson cover), weird song that sounds like it was built around a pig inspired syth patch where Kiedis goes on for over eight minutes about a freak in the Garden of Eden and being stopped by lady cops in an explicit fashion.

A decade after the first greatest hits, the Red Hot Chili Pepper released a new best of album that is actually worthy of the title with many legitimate hits from subsequent albums. Well many legitimate hits and one song from the Dave Navarro era that most people would like to forget.



Monday, February 03, 2014

Super Bowl Shuffle 2014


This year is the tenth anniversary of the infamous wardrobe malfunction which means thing could be ready to get frisky again. But alas, nothing exciting happened, the Red Hot Chili Peppers did not even come out in their signature socks. But that Super Bowl also was the start of an improbable run where the games were more entertaining than the Super Bowl with every game still undecided going into the fourth quarter. Awe, parity. That streak was broken this year when the Seahawks drummed the Broncos in a Super Bowl reminiscent of all the blow outs in the eighties and nineties. With the all around bad play and ugly orange jerseys, I thought maybe Denver was switched out with the Browns. Of course that may be the only way Cleveland could get to play in a Super Bowl. But hey, just like the old NFL ads said, everyone is undefeated today. Of course then the Browns will just pick another thirty year old quarterback in the draft in April. But anyway, here are some other thoughts on the big game.

- Wait, so Queen Latifah did not awkwardly marry people before Madonna came out of no where for no reason. Well that was a disappointing way to start the show.

- The Broncos had six captains? How is that even legal? I understand thre, one for each phase of the game, but at that point, just send out your whole team.

- Now that is how you start a Super Bowl. How much did safety on the first play pay off? Makes you wonder how different the game would have been if that first hand off came off without a hitch.

- Two really dumb challenges at the start of the game by both coaches. Not that it mattered.

- So what exactly what was that Seinfeld thing for? It was not an ad (that I understand). It was not NBC resurrecting their golden goose. Just an odd piece of nostalgia because the game took place in New York City.

- Bruno Mars really is the modern day James Brown. You know if James Brown wrote bland pop songs. But just a random transition to Give it Away. And then Bruno just had to run the momentum by finishing the set with the super boring Just the Way You Are.

- Micheal Strahan is not a very good interviewer, how about going with Erin Andrews for the biggest interview of the year?

- Enough football, here are the best commercials from this year's game:

1. The Phone Call: RadioShack Commercial


2. Big Game Ad Starring Terry Crews and the Muppets | 2014 Toyota Highlander
3. NFL draft with Deion Sanders (I cannot seem to find a link; this is almost a big a fail as Super Bowl Shuffle no longer being on YouTube)
4. Ian Up For Whatever TV 60 -- 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial | Bud Light
5. Jaguar 2014 Big Game Commercial | British Villains
6. Budweiser Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial -- "Puppy Love"
7. Ellen Features in "The Right Music" for Beats Music and AT&T
8. Ford "Nearly Double" Big Game Ad | Rob Riggle & James Franco
9. Wonderful Pistachios Stephen Colbert Super Bowl Commercial 2014, Part 2
10. Audi 2014 Big Game Commercial - Doberhuahua

And since the great philopher Butt-Head once pondered, how we know what was cool if there weren't stuff that sucked, here are the commercials that were complete waste of four million dollars.

1. Doritos® - Time Machine -- Crash the Super Bowl Top 5 Finalist
2. 2014 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial: Wings
3. Cool Twist-- 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial | Bud Light
4. Tim Tebow shows you what you can do with #nocontract |T-Mobile Commercial
5. Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt - The Spill

Thursday, July 05, 2012

I Want My Music Television - 7/5/12


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Brendan's Death Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers



Ever since I started watching Treme, I became fascinated with the Second Line to the point that I have it written into my will. I do not know what the tradition never got exported from New Orleans but it is nice to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers incorporate it into the song written about their fallen friend.


50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train



Why don’t I ever run into The Hoff while grocery shopping? Lucky dude from Train. Well at least I haven’t run into Death there. Yet.


One More Night - Maroon 5



I was content with nailing a new model in every new Train music video, but how dare he defile Lyla Garrity? Good for her for leaving.


National Anthem - Lana Del Rey



Even though everyone was content with Lana Del Rey to fade into obscurity after her abysmal performance on Saturday Night Live earlier this year, she is stick kicking and screaming trying to stay relevant like anyone one else with minimal talent does: with shock. So she is playing Jackie O (and Marilyn Monroe?) to a black JFK. Alrighty. And I am back to ignoring Lana Del Rey.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

I Want My Music Television - 1/26/12


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Look Around – Red Hot Chili Peppers



The best music videos are the ones that look simple enough but you watch them again and again because you are not entirely sure how it happened. That is exactly how I felt about the four rooms of the new Red Hot Chili Peppers video. I am also under the assumption that the rooms represent the band mate’s personalities which begs the question why is Chad Smith performing in a bathroom?


Comeback Kid – Sleigh Bells



Not as confusing but just as visually stimulating is the new Sleigh Bells who makes visual explosions for your eyes that rival the musical explosions that give your ears.


Mustache Man (Wasted) - Cake



Then there is Cake who always gives you an entertaining three minutes excursion from your day with every new music video, now with even more facial hair to look at.


Synthesizers – Butch Walker and The Black Widows



Matthew McConaughey may be two decades older, but at least high school girls have stayed the same age. I am not sure the world needed Dazed & Confused sequel (though I can hear movie executives plan a reboot right now) Butch Walker has given us one.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 11/16/11


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Girl Panic – Duran Duran



Sure Duran Duran created the whole models in music videos scene, but how about casting some that are not current members of AARP? Each of them were featured in major music videos that came out in 1990. That is over two decades ago. Then again that is right around the time they had their last hit so the models of today may not even know who Duran Duran is.


Monarchy of Roses – Red Hot Chili Peppers



Sure the new Red Hot Chili Peppers video kind of looks like the a-ha video sans an actual storyline, but still it look pretty cool.


Call It What You Want - Foster the People



I am all for nonsensical music videos as much as the next pretentious music fan, but seriouslyFoster the People: what the frack is this?


Work Out - J Cole



Last week I called J Cole’s participation in the new Beyoncé video pretty bland, but as for his own music is anything but, for at least this song. I am not sure what is more bizarre: building a beat from the outro to California Love or the Paula Abdul quotes throughout the song.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Best of the Week - 9/30/11


Quote of the Week: Honestly after all you sleepovers with the brown boy, a girl is a relief. (Howard’s Mom, The Big Bang Theory)

Song of the Week: Hello - Lionel Richie (Community)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced: The governing body (or whoever does the nominating) of the Rock Hall released the names of fifteen acts of which five will be inducted next year. Most notable include repeat nominees Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, newbies Eric B. & Rakim and Guns N' Roses. With both the Beasties and Peppers releasing albums this year, I bet both will make it this year (though I contend the Peppers should not get in until the 25th anniversary of Blood Sugar Sex Magic). I have GnR as a lock if only because everyone wants to see who will actually show up. And though a first ballot Hip Hop Hall of Fame inducted, Eric B. and Rakim will doubtfully get in especially with other rappers Beasties likely to be enshrined. If I were a betting man I would put Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and The Spinners grabbing the other two spots. If I am not mistaken, inductees will be announced in December with the ceremony taking place in March here in Cleveland (and I am available to cover the festivities if anyone wants to hook me up with a ticket). Stayed tuned next year when Debbie Gibson finally becomes eligible.

Free Download of the Week: Pilot - Pan Am, Season 1 (iTunes): For those that have missed what I decreed as the best pilot of the new season that I have seen so far, you can catch up before the second episode by downloading the episode on iTunes.

Deal of the Week: Miramax Movies as Low as $5.99 (No Country for Old Men, Sin City, Kill Bill)

New Album Release of the Week: Metals - Feist

New DVD Release of the Week: Friday Night Lights: The Complete Series We are 85 shopping days until Christmas and for those wondering what you can get me, this will do just fine.

Video of the Week: After a slew of some pretty poor chick flicks, Kristen Bell is returning to television this January for House of Lies. I did not know until this teaser that the show is actually a comedy. And hopefully the pantsuit is not a sign of Bell’s wardrobe on the show, but I am always down for watching her dance more.

House of Lies Tease


Next Week Pick of the Week: Pop Up Video, Weekdays at noon on VH1: I have no idea why they ever canceled Pop Up Video returns after a ten year hiatus Monday for sixty new episodes. Personally I cannot wait until the first weekend marathon where I can veg out and enjoy the new episodes for a whole day.

On a side note, "Weird Al" Yankovic Live! - The Alpocalypse Tour hits shelves Tuesday but for those that cannot wait until then or just rather watch it for free, tune in tomorrow to watch Weird Al perform songs from his new album like TMZ, classics like Smells Live Nirvana and of course some polka, most in his traditional costumes. And since the special was filmed in Toronto, Al naturally breaks out Canadian Idiot.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

I'll Take My Words and Turn Them into Sounds, it Will Survive


I'm With You - Red Hot Chili Peppers

It is hard to go into the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album without some reservations. The last time they recorded an album without guitarist John Frusciante it was so bad Tiny Tim could have placed him instead of Dave Navarro and would have been just as poorly received. It seemed as if Dave and the remaining Peppers did not bother to adapt to each other’s style and the fans were left to listen to one hot mess of an album. Thankfully that lasted for just one album and John rejoined the band to record their next three albums.

But then Frusciante up and quit at the end of the band’s last tour leaving the band go on the look for their eighth and this time around they wisely did not fill John shoes instead opting for band friend John Klinghoffer to record their tenth album I'm With You with. Unlike virtuoso Frusciante or frantic Navarro, Klinghoffer is a much more traditional, fading into the background in most songs and really helps transition into a more adult sound the band has drifting towards their last couple albums.

Flea has always been the MVP of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but with a new guitarist in the fold, he really stepped his game up for the album carrying the band on his back on many of the stand out tracks. Like on the first single The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie where he lays one of the best grooves of his career. Almost as good is the album opener Monarchy of Roses where Flea’s driving bass gives the song a very disco feel to it (and Flea must have been listen a lot to the genre because many of the songs on the album would not sound too out of place at a seventies disco).

Even with a reinvitalized Flea, it is hard not to listen to I’m With You and wonder what it would have sounded like with a more proficient Frusciante. Some songs you are just waiting for that one special moment of weirdly awesome riff you have come expecting from a Red Hot Chili Peppers album, and sometimes it just never comes. If this is I’m With You is the start of the new mature era of the band, it is off to a solid start as long as they build on it in subsequent albums. Like more instrumentations like the trumpet on Did I Let You Know. And more songs in the theme of Brendan’s Death March (on their first day of writing the album, the band got word that friend Brendan Mullen had passed away), the band best subdued song to date.

Song to Download – Brendan's Death Song

I’m With You gets a Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Monday, August 22, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 8/22/11


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West



When I hear Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Spike Jonzes together I except something legendary, but this may not even be a top ten video of the year let alone of all time. But I have been thinking lately where exactly does the Otis Redding sample ranking in the all time rap samples category. I may have to start doing some research, look for a list sometime in the next five years.


The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie – Red Hot Chili Peppers



Did someone not tell the Red Hot Chili Peppers that when you do a rooftop performance that it is supposed to end with the cops shutting you down? But that is a funky bassline from Flea but I cannot say the same for the new guitarist. Or Anthony Kiedis‘s mustache.


Miracle Worker - SuperHeavy



And the award for most random Supergroup award goes to SuperHeavy featuring Mick Jagger (in the pinkest suit that I do not think even Elton John could pull off), Dave Stewart, Damien Marley, Joss Stone, A.R. Rahman (you may know him better as the guy who did the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack). It was if Mick put his iPod on shuffle and decided to ask the first four people that popped up to come into the studio with him. Hopefully Eric Clapton does the same because I would love to hear his collaboration with Mandy Moore, Babyface, Q-Tip, and Willie Nelson.


Day Dreams - Raphael Saadiq



Last week Cee-Lo had Urkel lip-syncing his words and this week Raphael Saadiq saw his Urkel and rasied him an Abed. Kimmy Gibler better get her agent on the phone.

Monday, December 28, 2009

The 25 Best Mash Up's of 2009


Where I could find them, I linked the mash-up's to YouTube (or embedded them). To download the orginal source, click the song names to be taken to iTunes.

1. Party in the B.I.G. - Hatbanger
Notorious B.I.G. (Party and (Expletive Deleted) vs Miley Cyrus (Party in the U.S.A. )



2. Use the Same Old Song - Mighty Mike
The Four Tops (It's the Same Old Song) vs. Kings of Leon (Use Somebody)



3. Good ol' Fashion Rump Shaker - DJ STV SLV
Beastie Boys (Shake Your Rump) vs. Matt & Kim (Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare)



4. The Trooper Believer - DJ Schmolli
The Monkees (I'm a Believer) vs. Iron Maiden (The Trooper)



5. House of Klezmer - DJ Farfoff
House of Pain (Jump Around) vs. Amsterdam Klezmer Band vs. Pa Brapad



6. Machine Gun Shelter - Party Ben
Commodores (Machine Gun) vs. Rolling Stones (Gimme Shelter)

7. Brooklyn Rocks - DJ Lobsterdust
Beastie Boys (No Sleep 'till Brooklyn) vs. Joan Jett (I Love Rock and Roll)

8. ABC in Central Park - Zamali
Jackson 5 (ABC) vs. Krafty Kuts (Party in Central Park)

9. Give This Way - DJ Moule
Aerosmith-Run DMC (Walk This Way) vs. Red Hot Chili Peppers (Give it Away) vs. Chemical Brothers (Block Rockin' Beats)

10. Everybody's Everyday Girl - DJ BC
Fleetwood Mac (Everywhere) vs. Snoop Dogg (That Girl) vs. Kanye West (This Way) vs Q-Tip (Come Close)

11. Acoustic Alchemy - Norwegian Recycling
Jack Johnson (Bubble Toes) vs. Green Day (Good Riddence (Time of Your Life))

12. Religion in the Wind - Lasso the Moon
Kansas (Dust in the Wind) vs. R.E.M. (Losing My Religion)

13. Paperlong - Mighty Mike
Foo Fighters (Everlong) vs. M.I.A. (Paper Planes)

14. Westside Godzilla Connection - Frogthedog
Westside Connection (Bow Down) vs. Blue Öyster Cult (Godzilla)

15. It's Bigger Than a Prayer - Yold
Dead Prez (Hip Hop) vs. Bloc Party (The Prayer)

16. Radioghost - Norwegian Recycling
Radiohead (High and Dry) vs. Howie Day (Ghost)

17. Crushed Pony - DJ Fac
Ginuwine (Pony) vs. Paramore (Crushchrushcrush)

18. RiverBad - DJ Lobsterdust
Meatloaf (Two Out of Three Ain't Bad) vs. Morcheeba (Riverbed)

19. 2 Many Beastles - dj BC
Beastie Boys and Nas (Too Many Rappers) vs. the Beatles (Taxman)

20. Don't Stop Til You Get Enough Q-Tip - 33jones
Q-Tip (Breathe and Stop) vs. Michael Jackson (Don't Stop til You Get Enough)

21. Complicated Sex on Fire - DJ Schmolli
Avril Lavigne (Complicated) vs. Kings of Leon (Sex on Fire)

22. Gorilla Idol - locK3Down
Gorillaz (Tomorrow Comes Today/Clint Eastwood) vs. Billy Idol (Eyes Without a Face)

23. Fall Out Gloria - Mighty Mike
Fall Out Boy (This Ain't a Scene it's an Arms Race) vs. Gloria Gaynor (I Will Survive)

24. Hives For Your Right - DJ Y alias JY
The Hives (Tick Tick Boom) vs. Beastie Boys (Fight for Your Right)

25. Mercy For Roxanne - Mighty Mike
The Police (Roxanne) vs. Duffy (Mercy)

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Live Earth Redux


There were a bunch of great performances at Live Earth but there is one that I have been listening to on repeat the last couple days and that is the new song that Alicia Keys unveiled during her set, That’s the Thing about Love. Unfortunately it looks like we will have to wait until late October until we can hear a more polished studio version when her new album is scheduled to drop, until then here is the YouTube version of the performance at Live Earth:



It popped up over the weekend that there will be a best of the Live Earth album that will be put out in August which you can preorder on iTunes (if you do so you will get the John Mayer track now, also Metallica’s full set is available separately). Although there is currently no confirmed tracks (aside from Mayer’s) so here is my suggestion of the top twenty songs from the event (links go to YouTube):


1. Gimme Shelter - Keith Urban and Alicia Keys
2. Message in a Bottle - The Police, John Mayer and Kanye West
3. Sabotage - Beastie Boys
4. Big Bottom - Spinal Tap and an Army of Bassists
5. That’s the Thing about Love - Alicia Keys
6. Drummers - SOS All Stars
7. Babylon - David Gray and Damien Rice
8. All My Life - Foo Fighters
9. Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer
10. The Horizon Has Been Defeated - Jack Johnson
11. Bleed it Out - Linkin Park
12. Mercy Mercy Me - Corrine Bailey Rae and John Legend
13. Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
14. By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
15. For the Love of Money/Living for the City, Mercy Mercy Me - Alicia Keys
16. The Blower’s Daughter - Damien Rice and David Gray
17. Bullet with Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins
18. Hips Don’t Lie - Shakira
19. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
20. Jesus Walks - Kanye West


Agree, disagree, well vote or add your favorites to the Unspun widget below:




Okay, now on to what Live Earth was really about, doing your part to saving the environment. You might think to yourself living a green life is a daunting task, well I am certainly no tree hugging hippie, in fact I am extremely lazy, but I realized that I already do some of the things that they suggested thought Saturday’s festivities. Seriously, if this lazy bum can do these things to help out than certainly you can add these to your daily routine. Even if you don’t care about the environment, do these why I do them, almost all of these suggestion will save you money:

- Change to Energy Efficient Light bulbs - Yeah they cost a little more but I saw a noticeable drop in my electricity bill when I switched just three bulbs. Really you should buy any and all energy efficient products, TV’s, toilets, computers, radios, etc.

- Use Sunlight During the Day - Unless there is a storm brewing, all window drapes are open there isn’t a light on from sun up to dun down

- Change the Thermostat When You Leave - In the summer during turn the air conditioning down a couple degrees, turn heat up in the winter. In the winter, I even do this when I sleep so I can bundle up in a couple more blankets

- Boil Only the Water You Need - I was surprised when this was suggested during the telecast because I though it was a no brainier but apparently people boil more than they need. This is just laziest, and that says a lot considering I been called the laziest person some people have ever met

- Flip Off Your Power Strip - Here is one that I have started after seeing it on Live Earth as I have three big power drains with all its accessories plugged into a power strip (computer, two TV sets). I plugged a VCR into the wall because that is my clock in that room, but everything else is plugged into the strip which I flip off when the stuff isn’t in use. I’m not entirely sure how much energy/money I have saved by doing this, but long if it is something it will be worth the one second it takes to flip it on and off.