Category: Music

Early post today. Yer gonna get spoiled.

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary (yes, go back, read that number again. That’s a twenty. Yeesh.) of the premiere of Twin Peaks. I was a *massive* Peaks fan. Still am, I suppose. I even stuck through the largely crap middle of season 2 (after the revelation of Laura Palmer’s killer, but before the creepy-cool Windham Earle stuff towards the end). In honor of the anniversary, I’m posting the vocal version of the theme. Poor Julee Cruise — she was so associated with the show, that when it fell from favor, her chance at a wider career went with it. Julee Cruise and Angelo Badalamenti – “Falling.”

Been watching the new series Justified on FX — based on the Raylan Givens stories by Elmore Leonard. Good stuff — and perhaps best of all is the the theme, performed by the Brooklyn-based Gangstagrass. The music is just what the group name indicates — heavy hip hop beats and rhymes performed over samples taken from traditional bluegrass and country. A brilliant mix, and perfect for the series. Here’s the title theme: Gangstagrass – “Long Hard Times To Come.”

A different track was used for the preview commercials on FX, and it’s equally good. Gangstagrass has an album coming — check it out when it’s released. Gangstagrass – “On The Run.”

Sticking with the mixed-genre hip-hop for a while — my favorite track from the seminal soundtrack to the otherwise forgettable film “Judgement Night”, which mixed metal, alternative and hip-hop acts: Faith No More and Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. – “Another Body Murdered.”

Public Image Ltd. is touring again — they’re playing in KC on the 26th, but I’m not attending. The only “seats” are Standing Room Only… and, bluntly, my ankles are in no shape to stand for 2+ hours. I liked PiL a lot, but sadly, not that much. My favorite track: Public Image Ltd. – “Seattle.”

Now if it was The Beat (or as I knew them, here in the US, “The English Beat.”) — well that would be another story. I’d drag myself there on bloody stumps. But unfortunately, the group has split into two line-ups (The Beat, touring the UK and Europe, fronted by Ranking Roger; and The English Beat, touring in the US and fronted by Dave Wakeling), and so a true reunion will never occur. I’ve been a nut for this band ever since my Uncle Dennis gave me a cassette of the 1982 album Special Beat Service, which I wore out. From that album: The Beat – “Save It For Later.”

Lastly, a tasty bit of oddness from Cake (my favorite track of theirs, apart from their cover of “I Will Survive.”): Cake – “Frank Sinatra.”

Enjoy, kids.

Amanda Palmer finally is free of her label, and in celebration, posted the following song:

If you like it, you can download it for whatever price you like (including free).

As I said on Twitter and Facebook: Direct-to-consumer is the new black.

Not a huge list this week — usual reason (busy as fuck).

First up — this song is used in a commercial for, inexplicably, insurance. Can’t remember which company, so the ad obviously doesn’t do the job. But what it did do is make me want to track down this song, which I can only describe as “haunting.” So I did. And here it is: Hem – “Half Acre.”

Next, a *brilliant* mashup — thanks to for pointing this out to me via Twitter: Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce vs. Metallica – “Enter Telephone (DJs from Mars club remix).”

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have a new album coming out this month! Woot! New album means (hopefully) new tour, and even more hopefully, a new date in Lawrence! This is the title track: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – “I Learned The Hard Way.”

Yesterday while I was laptopping, Henry’s (the coffee shop where I was ensconced) played this album, which I hadn’t heard in ages. It got a lot of guff for being “Pop-punk”, but I had a lot of respect for the group sticking with their indie label and telling the majors to fuck off. Plus, any “pop” group savvy enough to name-check Desmond Dekker gets serious authenticity points in my book. Rancid – “Roots Radicals.”

Lastly, one of my favorite tracks from The Police, which doesn’t nearly get the airplay of their bigger hits. They performed this one on the last tour, but Sting isn’t really capable of hitting this register any more, so it was an octave down. Gettin’ old. Phooey. The Police – “So Lonely.”

There ya go, kids. Enjoy.