Monday, August 31, 2015

New Countdown: End of Summer


Aaron Bruno (AWOLNATION)

Well, here we are at the last week of August. I distinctly remember thinking, in the first week of June, that it would be this week before we knew it. And I hate how right I was. But I love the Fall and Winter. So we'll soldier bravely on.


Countdown #261

***Featuring***
The All-American Rejects
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
AWOLNATION
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1963



1. Fingertips Pts 1&2

2. Soul Bongo
3. La La La La La
4. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade is Over
5. Hallelujah (I Love Her So)
6. Drown in My Own Tears
7. Don't You Know

I had never listened to this before. It is truly astounding how talented he was at SUCH a young age!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

New Countdown: Bastion of Manners


Beck


I think one of the things that herald the downfall of a blog is when the author continually starts posts with "Sorry I'm late on this!" or "It's been a long time since I've posted, but I'm excited to get back into it!" or whatever. So I'm not going to do that.

This is a fun one. High energy!


Countdown #260

***Featuring***
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
AWOLNATION
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King
Florence + The Machine
Janis Joplin
Mumford & Sons
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors
Yellowcard

Top Ten Tuesday: Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky "Good For You"

I imagine what it must be like to have grown up seeing Selena Gomez on the Disney Channel and then having her change her image into this sort of sexy siren girl. It probably is pretty weird.


I should check out more A$AP Rocky.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1964




 This is the final Beatles album on our Throwback Thursdays. It's the last in the "The Beatles had #1 Albums 5 summers in a row" series as well as finishing up the "Albums that the Beatles released in America had different tracklistings than those released in the UK." series

This time, I think the tracks that are on the US version are instrumentals that weren't found on the UK releases. The instrumentals are....interesting.

1. A Hard Day's Night


2. Tell Me Why
3. I'll Cry Instead
4. I Should Have Known Better (Instrumental)
5. I'm Happy Just to Dance With You
6. And I Love Her (Instrumental)
7. I Should Have Known Better
8. If I Fell
9. And I Love Her
10. Ringo's Theme (This Boy ) (Instrumental)
11. Can't Buy Me Love
12. A Hard Day's Night (Instrumental)

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: One Direction "Drag Me Down"

Doesn't seem like there's a video for this song quite yet, but knowing how these things go, there'll be one 15 minutes after I post this!

I wonder what we're going to think of One Direction in 20 years. Will we think of them? Probably. But who knows in what context?


Monday, August 17, 2015

New Countdown: Who's the Queeniest of Them All?


Of Monsters and Men

I think this was a pretty fun one. I bet you'll enjoy it!

Let me know if/when you do!


Countdown #259

***Featuring***
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
Of Monsters and Men
Rufio
Something Corporate
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1965


Part II of the "The albums the Beatles released in America/North America that have different tracklistings than the more generally accepted UK releases" series. So let's have the tracklist and we'll break down where else these tracks can be found, since I bet you don't have this album.

1. Medley: Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!


2. Eight Days a Week
3. You Like Me Too Much
4. Bad Boy
5. I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
6. Words of Love
7. What You're Doing
8. Yes It Is
9. Dizzy Miss Lizzie
10. Tell Me What You See
11. Every Little Thing

Tracks 1, 2, 5-7, 11 are from Beatles For Sale
Tracks 3, 9, and 10 were from the at-the-time unreleased UK Version of Help!
Track 4 was only on this album until 1966 saw the UK release of A Collection of Beatles Oldies
Track 8 was the B-side to "Ticket to Ride"

That must have been very annoying to realize as a Beatles fan.

Fun Fact: They recorded "Bad Boy" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzie", both Larry Williams covers, on Larry Williams's birthday, May 10, 1965!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: The Weeknd "Can't Feel My Face" (Update: A Video!)

Well, right after I posted that double Weeknd post a couple weeks ago, the video came out for "Can't Feel My Face"! And here it is! This song is sitting JUST below the top spot and it wouldn't shock me to see it ascend to #1. It's catchy as hell!


Monday, August 10, 2015

New Countdown: Sunny Summer Sunday Afternoon


Cold War Kids

Kicking it Bachelor style this weekend, so I went for a relaxed, Sunday afternoon vibe with this one. I wonder how well it came off.

Enjoy!


Countdown #258

***Featuring***
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
Get Up Kids
Mumford & Sons
Of Monsters and Men
twenty one pilots
Wolf Alice
X Ambassadors

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1966





Welcome to Part 1 of the "Beatles albums that were released in America that were different than the ones released in the UK" series and also, I suppose, Part 2 of the "Beatles were at #1 every August for 5 years" series.

So we're going to do the track list and then we'll figure out the albums that the tracks are more well known for being from.

1. Drive My Car
2. I'm Only Sleeping
3. Nowhere Man
4. Doctor Robert
5. Yesterday
6. Act Naturally
7. And Your Bird Can Sing
8. If I Needed Someone
9. We Can Work It Out
10. What Goes On
11. Day Tripper


Tracks 1, 3, 8, and 10 are from Rubber Soul
Tracks 2, 4, and 7 are from the at-the-time unreleased Revolver
Tracks 5 and 6 are from the UK version of Help!
Tracks 9 and 11 are from the double A-side "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out" single

And here's the original "Butcher" cover

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

New Countdown: Some Wolfs


Mumford & Sons

I'm getting the hang of this "not necessarily posting on Sunday" thing. I think it's making for a better show, though.

Summer episodes are always pretty great, though, aren't they?


Countdown #257

***Featuring***
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King 
Mumford & Sons
Of Monsters and Men
Radiohead
twenty one pilots
Walk the Moon
Wolf Alice
X Ambassadors

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Fetty Wap featuring Monty "My Way"

Doesn't look like there's a video for this one yet. So it may be that there will be an update for this song. Mr. Wap has 3 songs in the Top 40 this week.


Saturday, August 1, 2015

August 2015 Media Update





Last Thing I Watched: I started watching The X Files towards the end of the month and I watched a bunch as the evening turned from July to August. The one that I was PROBABLY watching when it hit midnight was one called "Shadows" which was about a poltergeist! Scary stuff. But also hilariously outdated 1993 technology.



Last Thing I Read: The last TWO things I read were actually reading out loud. Lila and I are working our way through Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and we've both been enjoying that.

And then, to help my wife get to sleep last night, I read to her a page or two from the book she's reading: Grey by E.L. James, which is Fifty Shades of Grey from the perspective of the guy in the book instead of the girl.


Last Thing I Listened To: I am ashamed to say that I don't know what exactly was the last thing I listened to in July. I know that I finished Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel and then turned on the Sirius XM. And then I finished driving to meet the wife and kids for dinner. And then I drove the kids and myself home. But I don't know what was playing as we pulled up to the house. So this is the last thing I definitely remember hearing. I remember being kind of blown away by its rawness.

Tommy James and the Shondells "Hanky Panky"


Things I'm Seeing on the Internet: I'm going to talk about two things that I've been seeing a lot of because the first one is super depressing for a number of reasons.



Lots of people are still really invested in the Cecil the Lion story, where a dentist went to Africa and shot and killed what was, apparently a beloved lion with a name and everything. I have to admit I don't know all the details of this story, but hunting for sport seems pretty silly to me.

 The other thing I've been seeing all over Facebook is this sketch from Key and Peele where teachers are treated to SportsCenter-esque attention. I haven't watched it yet (I intend to watch it right after posting) but I love pretty much everything K&P put out, so I have high hopes.