The Friday Five: August 24, 2012

Creed – “Higher (Acoustic)”
Ugh. Terrible-quality (it sounds like Scott Stapp is singing underwater) acoustic version of unknown origin of a song I actually liked at one point before MTV and mainstream terrestrial radio absolutely played it into the ground. Maybe it’s time to delete this?

KISS – “Getaway” (Dressed to Kill, 1975)
Ace Frehley penned track sung by Peter Criss from one of my favorite KISS albums. I recently finished Ace’s memoir No Regrets, and I had no idea that even this early in their career KISS didn’t have it together as much as they let on. There were already personal problems within the band, and they were in constant danger of disbanding for financial reasons alone. Manager Bill Aucoin was floating the whole operation on credit cards. Heck, even the suits they wore on the album cover (save Peter’s) were borrowed from Aucoin’s closet. Anyway, back to the song—stripped down, dry, basic KISS at its best.

Rush – “Big Money” (A Show of Hands, 1988)
Big money is what it sounds like Rush must have made on this tour and the subsequent records sales of the recordings. A Show of Hands serves as the live performance snapshot of the band’s synthesizer and technology era, with album closer “Closer to the Heart” being the only track featured from the band’s classic rock days. I’ve never been a huge fan of this song, but it’s Rush, so it gets a pass.

Queensrÿche – “Roads to Madness” (Live at Harpo’s, 1984)
Ah, Queensrÿche. For anyone not keeping up with the sordid goings-on in the ’Rÿche camp, let me simply say it’s a huge mess—lots of finger pointing (and apparently spitting, hitting, and slapping, depending on who you believe), he-said-she-said (yes, she said, as in Tate’s wife and step-daughter, who were both involved in the business side of the band), and now with the band splitting into two different factions, both threatening to put out material and tour under the Queensrÿche name. “Roads to Madness” is one of my favorite old-school ’Ryche tunes, and the guys do an admirable (if not slightly off-key) job from a live bootleg I picked up somewhere. I can’t imagine having seen these guys slogging away in the club circuit with grandiose songs like this back in the day. It always seemed destined for a much larger stage to my teenaged ears.

P.O.D. – “Hollywood” (The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, 1999)
“Hollywood” is a hard-hitting, sludgy rap-metal affair and is the true album opener after what is essentially a filler track. It sets the listener up for what to expect for the remainder of their major label debut (and first platinum album) released just two years before their true breakthrough album Satellite.

Love that Manic Street Preachers tune. I seriously need to check these guys out. Just about everything of theirs I’ve heard I’ve liked. I absolutely love “Your Love Alone Is Not Enough” (what’s with the long song titles, by the way?!), but then again, I’m a sucker for a good hook (and a good female lead vocal in a rock tune). Where’s the best place to start with these guys?

Miss Johansson should definitely stick to acting.

Depends. There’s a pretty clear line between the period when Richey James Edwards was still in the band and when he vanished. My first album of theirs was This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, and I love it.

I think I might have that same QR bootleg. That’s Detroit right?

You’re welcome! lol That is a great tune, though.

The Forever Delayed compilation is a great intro point, giving equal time to their early punkier songs and their later more melodic tracks. But it doesn’t go up to “Your Love Alone…” There might be a more recent compilation since Forever Delayed, I’m not sure.

1. “Marianas Trench” by August Burns Red from Constellations
One of the first metal bands I ever saw live, in a small club in Montreal. Absolutely amazing song that starts soft, but ends anything but soft. Killer track.

2. “Window” by Guster from Parachute
Guster is the one band that whenever I’m in a bad mood, I could just sit and listen to their entire catalog. Something about their music puts me in a better mood, this song included.

3. “Bat Country” by Avenged Sevenfold from City of Evil
A classic Avenged Sevenfold song. One of my favorites of theirs.

4. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Eric Clapton from The Cream of Clapton
Take a great song (Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door) written by a great songwriter, arguably the greatest of all time (Bob Dylan) and have it performed by a great artist (Eric Clapton). The recipe for greatness.

5. “Bleeding Mascara” by Atreyu from The Curse
This is a fantastic metal song by what USED to be a fantastic metal band. For some reason they decided that they would rather be on the radio than put out great metal music and went really soft with the release of Lead Sails Paper Anchor. Utter disappointment, but this song still rocks.

Yessir. December 1984, back when I was but a testosterone-fueled teenager living in Middle-of-Nowhere Mississippi listening to strange music.

My iPod is such a eclectic mix of music. The other day on shuffle it went from Elton John to Metallica to Josh Groban to Tupac to Britney Spears. I have no excuses or explanations.

1. Kings of Leon – Cold Desert (Only By the Night, 2008)

Man, the first half of this album was just unbelievably great (yes, even “Use Somebody”). Sadly, this is the album’s closing track, and a fairly unimpressive song, especially when it follows second-half highlight “Be Somebody”.

2. Sleigh Bells – “Riot Rhythm” (Treats, 2010)

Every attempt I’ve made to turn my friends on to Sleigh Bells has been met with blank stares and requests to put on something that doesn’t suck. Still, this song is probably my second favorite song from Treats (“Run the Heart” takes the top spot), even when you take into account its appearance in that one car commercial.

3. Eve 6 – Rescue (Horrorscope, 2000)

I may have mentioned this in a previous Friday Five, but I love Eve 6 in a manner disproportionate to the actual quality of their music. I believe I’m on my third copy of Horrorscope on CD, after burning holes through my first two copies. Oddly enough, Younger TJ usually skipped this song to go straight to “Promise”. Current TJ doesn’t understand why this happened. Great power-pop intro to an album that helped define my childhood (go forth and judge me; I regret nothing).

4. Foo Fighters – Back & Forth (Wasting Light, 2011)
One of the weaker songs from the album, but that still simply makes it a solid FF track, as opposed to a brilliant one. Seriously, Wasting Light was a gem start to finish.

5. Sugar – A Good Idea (Live) [Copper Blue Deluxe Reissue, 2012]
I only discovered Bob Mould’s post-Husker Du work within the last few months, and looking at it now, my past ignorance is inexcusable. Copper Blue is one of those albums that manages to encapsulate everything that gets me excited about music. The live concert that served as the bonus disc for this reissue didn’t connect with me as much as I’d hoped, but strangely I think this version of “A Good Idea” works better than the one on the album.

Hello everyone -

Before the five unspool, wanted to thank Michael and all commenters. I’ve been running to YouTube to listen to other people’s picks. You guys work better than Pandora for me.

1) “A Better Tomorrow Pt. 2″ by Automator – Automator’s loping, underwater sound gets ominous here. Atmospheric enough to be a movie score, though it doesn’t seem to connect to Woo’s “A Better Tomorrow” series.

2) “I See You Baby” by Groove Armada – This is off a dance compilation, which is kind of where it fits best. It’s peppy. It passes the time pleasantly. The lyrics might have been an inside joke for a month or so. It disappears when over.

3) “Good Day, Good Sir” by Outkast – A skit instead of a song. The super-arch delivery keeps it amusing enough over its brief length. Nice palate cleanser in the midst of long shuffles.

4) “Deputy of Love” by Don Armando’s 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band – This is from ZE Records’ Mutant Disco compilation, which makes me nostalgic for a scene I’ll never see: Downtown NYC when the city was hurting but the music was popping. “Deputy of Love” has a flashy, tongue-in-cheek disco swing band sound. Er, rhumba band sound. Even haters will have to admit the band sounds like they’re having a blast.

5) “Just Dropped In” by Mojo Nixon & The Second Edition – From a 90s Pravda comp with alt-rockers doing 70s AM stuff. Not one of the better cuts, IMO.

Spin Doctors, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong.” Been a whole lot easier since the bitch left town …

Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir.” “Duh-duh-duh duh duh-duh-duh …”

REM, “Daysleeper.” I love this song. Love it. Fuck the people who hate Up. I love this song. “I’m the screen, the blinding light / I’m the screen, I work at night.” At some point in my life, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have this job.

Beach Boys, “Sloop John B.” My parents were Pet Sounds fans. Who knew?

Hall & Oates, “Out of Touch.” 1984, I wish I could live in you, if only to experience more closely the music I so loved.

My sixth track: Jules Shear, “Love With You”

I hate Up, but love “Daysleeper.” Also, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” is the shit. Your Five rocks, Rob. Cheers!

Another late evening Five for me:

1. “Man We Was Lonely” by Paul McCartney from McCartney. Just because everyone’s asleep and I’m in the basement doing my Friday Five is no reason to get personal, iTunes

2. “Spirit in the Night” by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band from MSG 4/9/12. This was the first time they played this on the current tour, and it showed. I was ecstatic to finally get one of my top 5 songs, but in retrospect it was kind of sloppy. The European leg helped a lot of songs, but especially this one. It was killer at Fenway last week.

3. “We’ll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning” by Gram Parson from the Gram Parsons Anthology. Originally from GP and featuring the incomparable Emmylou Harris. Still so glad I got to see her and Levon last year.

4. “Money (That’s What I Want)” by the Beatles from With the Beatles. Springsteen and the Beatles in one Five. I should stop right now.

5. “Child is Father of the Man” The Beach Boys from the SMiLE! Sessions. Beach Boys, too? Cheers to you, Friday Five!

Hope you hear something great this weekend!

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Strange Man” (Singles Series)
I’m not a big fan of RHCP V2. Give me the funk of ’80′s Peppers. Is this really the same band that wanted to “party on your pussy?”
Pavement – “Give It A Day” (Wowee Zowee Deluxe)
There’s not a lot of bands that make me jump up from my desk at work to play a little air guitar. (My co-workers have banned air-drumming, though.)
Elton John – “Island Girl” (Rock of the Westies)
Loved ’70′s Elton, alas, this was the last good one.
Comet Gain – “Young Lions” (Broken Record Prayers)
Good stuff. Should really give this and their new one more ear time.
The Byrds – “Pretty Boy Floyd” (Sweetheart of the Rodeo)
I’ve been on a Byrds kick lately. They should get more respect than they do.