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The Friday Five: February 15, 2013

Michael Parr February 15, 2013 18

The Friday Five

Friday Five : |ˈfrīdā – fīv| : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button in iTunes and share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up the media player of your choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

The Five:

“Till Next Tuesday” by James Iha (from Look to the Sky, 2012)

This record came way out of left field late last year. Iha, as I’m certain most of you are aware, was Billy Corgans’s first sparring partner in The Smashing Pumpkins. This record is completely the opposite of just about everything the Pumpkins put out during Iha’s tenure. Jangly, acoustic, poppy and bright; it’s a far cry from the aggro-rock he’s more associated with. Had I taken the time to actually formulate a top 20 for 2012, this record would have been a contender for the list.

“Ray Charles” by Chiddy Bang (from Breakfast, 2012)

For 100% desposable Hip-Hop, none do it better than Chiddy Bang. It’s almost like no one bothered to tell them that it isn’t the ’90s. It doesn’t matter, though; these guys have hooks for days and enough lyrical prowess to keep things interesting.

“Fortune Teller” by Markéta Irglová (from Live from San Franciso, 2012)

A bit more Dead Can Dance than her normal singer-songwriter fare, this is a brave move for Irglová. Clocking in at nearly seven minutes (including an extended vocal break featuring Irglová emoting) the tunes swirls around distinctly gypsy theme and fits well in this live set.

“Oh Yeah” by Aerosmith (from Music From Another Dimension, 2012)

Can you hear me yawning? I think my ears just popped. Okay, here’s a admission: this week’s Friday Five is coming courtesy of my trusty iPod, which does actually contain more than just music from 2012. I’m not entirely sure why nothing but tracks from the previous twelve months are shuffling up. This one, however, might just be my breaking point. We’ve been talking about legacy artists around the Popdose water cooler recently, and the assertion has been made that there are some artist that just shouldn’t continue to create new music. I put Aerosmith on that list.

“33″ by Coheed and Cambria (from Neverender: Children of the Fence Edition (disc 1), 2009)

Performing your entire recorded history, in order, is a task few bands would be willing to take on. Recording it all for posterity is damn near foolish. Foolish for any band other than Coheed and Cambria, that is.

What’s on your shuffle today?

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About the author: Michael Parr View all posts by
Husband, Father, Writer, Musical Voyeur, Pop Culture Glutton, Gourmet in Training. I'm the tall guy behind all these short guys. You can find me on the Twitter.


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  • mc3

    1. B.B. King “The Thrill is Gone”, New Millennium Blues Party (2000)

    2. Steve Miller Band “Tokin’s”, Number 5 (1970)

    3. Jack Johnson “Mudfootball (for Moe Lerner), Brushfire Fairytales (2001)

    4. Santana “Jingo”, Viva Santana! (1988)

    5. Jackie Greene “Supercede” American Myth (2006)

  • http://www.clangandclatter.com/ Phil

    Work is riding me like a … well, a rodeo cowboy, so this is going to be a short one. Let’s just leave it at that.

    Dream Theater – “Wither” (Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2009)
    Radio-friendly Dream Theater both in content/composition and length. While I love Dream Theater, lately there are some days where I just can’t deal with the amount of attention it takes to listen to some of their longer works.

    Kansas – “Questions of My Childhood” (Leftoverture, 1976)
    Speaking of prog-rock that requires an investment of attention to listen to. Fortunately this is not “Magnum Opus.”

    Goo Goo Dolls – “Broadway” (Dizzy Up the Girl, 1998)
    Great pop tune from the album that signaled the beginning of the end of my attraction to Goo Goo Dolls. I lasted exactly one more album.

    R.E.M. – “Get Up” (Green, 1998)
    Ditto. Although this one isn’t as great as it could be.

    Led Zeppelin – “The Battle of Evermore” (IV, 1971)
    At this point in my musical journey, I’d much rather listen to this than “Stairway to Heaven,” “Black Dog,” or “Rock and Roll” for the millionth time.

  • Rock_dawg

    Ooohhh Aerosmith… While that isn’t the worst record I’ve ever heard, it is certainly one of the most boring and lifeless. I’ve played it a few times on it’s own on top of shuffling and I couldn’t hum you a bar. I’m glad nothing from it has ever shuffled up for me (so far), because I have nothing else I can say about it.

    “Unknown Legend” – Neil Young, Dreamin’ Man – Live ’92
    These solo acoustic versions of the Harvest Moon songs are so good, I barley miss the rest of the instrumentation. I do miss Linda Rondstat and Nicolette Larson’s backing vocals though.
    “A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel” – U2, The Best Of 1980-1990 & B-Sides
    Like the Aerosmith album, this song has always never made an impression with me. Outside the dramatic finish, I couldn’t tell you how this song goes…and it just finished playing!
    “Ruben Remus” – The Band, The Basement Tapes
    First time I’ve heard this. The Basement Tapes has long been on my list of albums I really should hear, but haven’t sat down to play it through yet.
    “You Got The Silver” – The Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed
    This one’s making a return appearance to my Five.
    “I’ll Take You There” – The Staples Singers, The Ultimate Soul Collection 3 compilation
    Such a cool, low down groove, yet such an uplifting vocal. The instrumentation is quite minimal – a little guitar here and there, a touch of keys, some horns to punctuate the chorus. I’m not a religious person, but I’ll let this song “take me to church” anytime.

    Have a good weekend, Fivers!

  • MB

    Little Feat – Trouble (Sailin’ Shoes, 1972)

    Four Tops – Keeper Of The Castle (Keeper Of The Castle, 1972)

    Rare Earth – Tobacco Road (Get Ready, 1969)

    John Prine – Glory Of True Love (Fair And Square, 2005)

    Jim Capaldi – It’s All Up To You (Short Cut Draw Blood, 1975)

  • http://www.popdose.com/ Michael Parr

    I love me some Little Feat.

  • http://www.popdose.com/ Michael Parr

    “I’ll Take You There” is probably pretty high on my “Favorite Tunes, Ever” list.

    Regarding the Aerosmith: I guess for me it comes down to the songs, and this cycle of tunes just sounds like a flogging of the same ol’ shit, except this time they added some country. It’s opportunistic at best.

  • jhallCORE

    1. Patty Griffin — “If I Had My Way” (Downtown Church, 2010). One of the most versatile singer-songwiters out there.

    2. Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell — “Big House” (Begonias, 2005). One of the best tracks from a quietly underrated album.

    3. Bonnie Raitt — “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Road Tested, 1995). Folks can try to cover this all they want but no one can touch Bonnie performing this live.

    4. Tori Amos — “Little Earthquakes” (Little Earthquakes, 1992). Liked her quite a bit in college and a couple of years afterward. This cut seems a bit overwrought in retrospect.

    5. Shawn Colvin — “If I Were Brave” (A Few Small Repairs, 1996). Very good album that has held up well over the years.

  • MC_Snocap

    No whiplash today, or on Wednesday night’s shuffle for that matter. This is proof that, out of self-preservation, my iPod has become sentient.

    1) “Desafinado” by Joao Gilberto/Stan Getz (1963, Getz/Gilberto)
    Great, gentle way to start a “finally-beat-back-the-flu” drive to work.

    2) “A Man and a Woman” by Sir Julian (1966-ish, off Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 11: Organs in Orbit)
    The power of shuffle: On it’s own, this song might come off as ice-rink kitsch. But when following classic bossa nova, it flows like a respectable off-shoot.

    3) “Somewhere In America There’s a Street Named After My Dad” by Was (Not Was) (1988, What Up, Dog?)
    This song’s portrait of hope and idealism when life hasn’t supported either genuinely moves me.

    4) “Spread” by Outkast (2003, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below)
    Take out the rat-tat-tat drum and this could be a staple of Holiday Inn lounges everywhere, so long as they’re a touch sleazy.

    5) “Super Bon Bon” by Soul Coughing (1996, Irresistible Bliss)
    The Friday Five builds up to a swagger.

    Happy Presidents’ Day, y’all.

  • Ernie G

    1. Pet Sematary – The Ramones

    2. He’s Misstra Know-It-All – Stevie Wonder

    3. Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely – The Main Ingredient

    4. A Walk Across The Rooftops – The Blue Nile
    5. She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy – Kenny Chesney
    And it had been going so well…

  • http://www.popdose.com/ Michael Parr

    “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” is a real thing? Wow.

  • http://twitter.com/mordalo Mordalo

    Today will be…interesting. I don’t know what else to say…I got nothin’…so I’m just gonna list ‘em.

    1) The Beatles – The Contuining Story of Bungalow Bill
    2) John Coltrane – Central Park West
    3) Melody Gardot – All That I Need is Love
    4)Third Eye Blind – Farther
    5) Garth Brooks – I’d Rather Have Nothing

    Oh. My. Dawg. That is the most random Five I think I’ve generated. Two of those songs (Farther and I’d Rather Have Nothing), I hadn’t listened to in YEARS. They were buried so deep in my archives, I’d thought I didn’t have them anymore.

    Wow. I think I’m gonna go lay down. This is more than whiplash. This is Five Fatigue…

  • http://twitter.com/mordalo Mordalo

    Yes, yes it is. I have heard it, I’m sorry to say. My ears were never the same afterwards.

  • http://www.theseconddisc.com Mike Duquette

    After a Valentine’s Day of needless self-loathing, today’s been damn near perfect. Let’s queue up the shuffle to see how it goes!

    1. Sugar, “Hoover Dam (BBC Session 8/1/1992)”: I generally dislike when artists go overly “off-melody”in a live setting, but Mould’s unhinged delivery kind of adds to the band’s flavor.

    2. Prince and The New Power Generation, “The Flow”: Prince? Great. Rap? Great. Combine the two, though…

    3. Marvin Gaye, “You Sure Love to Ball (Single Version)”: Whoa now. Good thing I’m listening on headphones.

    4. The Cure, “Just Like Heaven (Dizzy Mix)”: a B-side from the “Mixed Up” compilation, which I quite enjoy and would like to see expanded someday.

    5. John Williams/London Symphony Orchestra, “Government Agents”: from the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” soundtrack, a minute-long cue when Indy explains the Ark to the two agents at his university. Not released until the 2008 expanded remaster, it was always a piece I wanted to have on CD. I think the reissue gave it some other title, but this was always what fans/bootlegs called it.

  • http://www.popdose.com/ Michael Parr

    3. Bonnie Raitt — “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Road Tested, 1995). Folks can try to cover this all they want but no one can touch Bonnie performing this live.

    I agree 100% with this statement. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some brilliant versions, but nothing beats Bonnie.

  • http://www.popdose.com/ Michael Parr

    “Central Park West” is one of my favorite Coltrane tunes.

  • http://twitter.com/IrishJava Dennis Corrigan

    Heading out for a little ski vacation tomorrow, so here’s a snow, mountain, etc themed Five

    1. “Country Roads” by Ryan Bingham from Roadhouse Sun. Bingham’s become one of my favorites over the past few years.

    2. “Winterlude” by Bob Dylan from New Morning. I really like this album, such a laid back vibe

    3. “Mountain of Love” by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band from 2/5/75 AKA the Main Point show. He broke this little chestnut out on the tour last year in Buffalo

    4. “Find the River” by R.E.M. from Automatic For The People. I know many, many people go ga=ga for this album, but I never warmed up to it all that much.

    5. “Snow Days” by Real Estate from their self-titled debut. The latest and finest of Jersey indie rock, straight from the Yo La Tengo/Feelies school

    Hope you hear something great this weekend!

  • http://www.facebook.com/arylwatson Aryl Watson

    1. The Cure – Fascination St – the riff on this song is one of my favorites!

    2. Fiona Apple – Why Try to Change Me Now (Cy Coleman cover) – so smooth.

    3. Mystery Jets – Young Love – Jangley British pop music

    4. Mates of State – Ha Ha – frenetic organ? Check

    5. Nirvana – Scentless Apprentice – One of the first songs written collaboratively by the group.

  • http://www.facebook.com/arylwatson Aryl Watson

    Love to see some Soul Coughing! I miss those guys – Mike Doughty (though very good) is just not the same.. Even if this is one of my least favorite cuts by the band