Sucker

It’s official — I’m a sucker.

He gets me to meet with him, because he says he wants to talk, and he’s afraid that he’s burned his bridges.

Like a fool, I say yes.

He tells his side of things, and appeals to my better nature. Appeals to my friendship. Calls me brother.

Like a fool, I say “if there’s anything you need, let me know. I’m here.”

That was 22 days ago.

Not a word since.

Any news I’ve had, I’ve gotten from other people. He’s moving, apparently. Supposedly to West Virginia. Or so I’ve heard.

But not from him.

Yeah, “brother.”

I’m a sucker.

Friday Music

First up this week: a warning. This song is a total earworm. It is from the film “House of Flying Daggers,” and after seeing it, both and myself couldn’t stop humming it. Zhang Ziyi – “Ja Ren Qu (Beauty Song)”

In honor of yesterday’s news about the final establishment of a dictatorship in this country, here is the new single from Neil Young’s protest-laden new album. Neil Young – “Let’s Impeach The President.” The bridge section, where he uses samples of Bush contradicting himself, side by side, with choruses of “Flip! Flop!”, is priceless.

DJ Paul Oakenfold has a new “artist album” coming out this summer (an “artist” album is where a DJ releases a CD of his own compositions, rather than mixes of other people’s work). His first artist album, Bunkka was great, featuring the singles “Ready Steady Go” and “Starry Eyed Surprise”, both of which have been used extensively in television, films and commercials. The first single from the new album features an unusual choice for lead vocalist: actress Brittany Murphy (“Eight Mile”, “Sin City”, etc.)….and you know what? She’s pretty good….and the song is catchy as a muthafucka: Paul Oakenfold (feat. Brittany Murphy) – “Faster Kill Pussycat.”

Speaking of new albums and also catchy….Muse has a new CD coming out, and the first single has been leaked to the internet (on purpose, I’m sure). I’ve been playing the hell out of this. Muse – “Supermassive Black Hole.” Love it.

While we’re on a roll with new albums — I found out this week that my favorite hip-hop act, Jurassic Five, have a new album set to come out this summer as well — their third release, and the first since 2003’s Power In Numbers. I’ve spoken about J5 before, and posted a couple of their songs, so I’ll not waste time raving about how good they are. Here’s a track that’s going to be on the new album: Jurassic Five – “Long Road to Glory.”

I can’t remember if I’ve posted this song before (it’s getting impossible to keep track, since I’ve been doing this for so long now) — if I have, get over it. This is one of my favorite electronica releases of the late 90s, and has been used in a couple soundtracks. From the album How to Operate With a Blown Mind, here’s Low Fidelity Allstars – “Battleflag.”

When I was a wee adolescent, I thought this was the hardest fucking song EVER. It was the epitome of badass. Still is, I think. It’s got a high cheese factor, in retrospect, but, whether I chalk it up to chemical imprinting from all those adolescent hormones or whatever, it still manages to get my adrenaline going. Judas Priest – “You Got Another Thing Comin'”

I’ll leave you this week with the debut single of a brand new artist. Jamie Randolph is a Memphis musician whose first album, Villain is about to be released, and is being described by his label as “Alt-Country Theatrical Epic Indie Rock.” Not sure what the hell that means, but this song is seventeen different varieties of cool. Given the title, I expected either Goth droning, or Techno-Goth stomping, but that’s not what I got. Instead I ended up with a beautiful song, with some fairly wicked shifts in tone. Jamie Randolph – “Chanson Du Vampire”

Hope you like those. More next week.