Wednesday, September 30, 2015

New Countdown: I Feel More Comfortable Now, I Feel More Comfortable Now


The Struts

After a whirlwind weekend, I'm finally back with a new countdown! To make it up to you, there are two additional tunes on this one! Enjoy!


Countdown #265

***Featuring***
AWOLNATION
Beck
Cold War Kids
Coleman Hell
Dessa
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
Sisyphus
Speedy Ortiz
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors


Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Taylor Swift "Wildest Dreams"

Her 16th Top Ten Single of her career and the 5th from the 1989 album. I'm excited to see this video, because I haven't yet. The album sure is enjoyable.



Very lovely and very nostalgic. I can dig it.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1959







1. M.T.A.

2. All My Sorrows
3. Blow Ye Winds
4. Corey, Corey
5. The Seine
6. I Bawled
7. Good News
8. Getaway John
9. The Long Black Rifle
10. Early in the Morning
11. Scarlet Ribbons
12. Remember the Alamo

I haven't listened to this one all the way through yet, but I know "MTA" from the Dropkick Murphys cover of it. So I basically think of these guys as proto-punks!



Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Drake "Hotline Bling"

There doesn't appear to be an official video for this one, as is often the case with songs just coming into the Top Ten. It'll probably be released in the next week or two.

I like this song. It's very chilled out.


Monday, September 21, 2015

New Countdown: Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have Blurryface.

Mumford & Sons
Believe it or not, this is a milestone episode!

Enjoy!



Countdown #264

***Featuring***
The Airborne Toxic Event
AWOLNATION
Beck
Cold War Kids
Coleman Hell
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1960



1. Abe Lincoln vs Madison Avenue
2. The Cruise of the U.S.S. Codfish
3. Merchandising the Wright Brothers
4. The Kruschev Landing Rehearsal
5. Driving Instructor


6. Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball

This album won Album of the Year, a first for a comedy album. It was the third Album of the Year. "Driving Instructor" is probably the most famous track from this album. It's still hilarious.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Ed Sheeran "Photograph"

What a fun, weird little video. It was put together by Ed's Dad and you can see the love that went into it. Very cool. And congratulations to Ed for his 3rd Top Ten song from X!


Monday, September 14, 2015

New Countdown: Do YOU Know What FIFA Stands For?


Florence + the Machine

We're going to chalk this one being late up to the Labor Day holiday and leave it at that.

But all of that is going to fly out the window when you hear this episode. It's a VERY exciting one :)


Countdown #263

***Featuring***
AWOLNATION
Beck
Cold War Kids
Coleman Hell
Elle King
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
Paramore
The Struts
twenty one pilots
X Ambassadors

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1961



1. There's Always Me
2. Give Me the Right
3. It's a Sin
4. Sentimental Me
5. Starting Today
6. Gently
7. I'm Comin' Home
8. In Your Arms
9. Put the Blame on Me
10. Judy
11. I Want You With Me
12. I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell


I've never seen Wild in the Country, so I'm not sure what this video is comprised of. It's better than just a series of photos, but the plot of the video is a little ambiguous since there are clearly repeated clips. I don't know. We'll take what we can get, I suppose

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Top Ten....Wednesday: Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber "Where Are U Now"

The truly difficult choice of picking which Justin Bieber-related song to play today. I went with the one that isn't debuting at #1, since that one might stick around for a while.

I guess he's figuring out how to be an adult in the world, which is a good thing!

This is a pretty fantastic video for a pretty fantastic song. It definitely makes me want to check out the whole album.


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Guest Review of Countdown Tracks (Episode 7)

 When my daughter was about to be born, I had a problem. How was I going to keep the podcast going? She was coming 5 weeks sooner than expected and it was in the first year of the podcast, so the idea of having a pretaped episode hadn't occurred to me (although, now that I think about it, I had done that Memorial Day episode, so perhaps I just wasn't thinking because her birth took us by surprise). So anyways, I asked my friend Andy if he could listen to the current songs on the chart and send me a review of them that I could publish. And that's what happened. And now every so often, I get someone to listen to the tracks that I have compiled into a CD-length mix and give their honest (often VERY honest) reviews of them. My sister is that guest this time. You've heard her before on podcasts both bonus and regular.

She didn't have a tracklist to start, so you'll see that a lot of her reviews are based on her not knowing who it is. That's really how I prefer it. Everything you read after this that isn't italicized is hers. The italicized stuff is mine. Because sometimes it's fun to add my own commentary.

Songs reviewed in this post appeared on episodes published between 3/1/14 and 5/16/15 (Which I think is roughly Episodes 187-246. Quite the span.)

ALT LISTENING NOTES


Track 1 (alt-j - Left Hand Free):
Ahhh, the new Alt-J.  I was really into their last album a few years ago and actually saw them in Boston with my good friend Greg.  I love Boston and that night was really fun so I always have positive associations with Alt-J. I’ve been seeing things online making fun of their sometimes nasally harmonies but I think it’s just their fun, unique sound and this song reflects this sound well.    


Track 2 (Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High):
I definitely have limited experience with the Arctic Monkeys.  I think I’m so instantly turned off by their name that I’ve never taken the time to listen which is probably a little ridiculous on my part.  I think they’re a little overrated but probably going to be remembered 50 years from now--there’s definitely a big enough cult following.  This song’s kind of fun.  If it came on the radio I probably wouldn’t switch it off. (It *is* a ridiculous name. I'm trying to think if you would like the rest of their stuff. I think it's possible if you were in a certain mood.)


Track 3 (Bastille - Bad Blood):
I know that once I look it up, I’m gonna kick myself for not being able to come up with the band. Yup. Fuckin Bastille. I’m super into this song! It’d be cool to come up with a mash-up of this Bad Blood with Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood. (I would be very interested to see how that turned out. I'm almost universally FOR mashups with Taylor Swift)  His voice is beautiful!   


Track 4 (Bastille - Flaws):
This song is kind of catchy? Is this Bastille again? They sound the same but with different electronic stuff.  Oh.  Hah.  It is Bastille again. Huh. Welp. This song is pretty cool too.  I liked the other song better though.  


Track 5 (Bear Hands - Giants):
I know it’s called I’m Loving You More but I can’t remember the band.  Is it like the Bleachers or something? It’s kind of catchy but also everything about it is sort of generically “alt”.  I have literally never heard of the band Bear Hands and the song is called Giants.  Huh. Well that song is alright.  


Track 6 (Big Data featuring Joywave - Dangerous):
Killer bass riff.  I like this song a lot! I’ve never heard it, but I like it.  I have never heard of the band Big Data. 10/10 would listen again. I like the steel drums--or whatever drums they are.  


Track 7 (Black Keys - Fever):
The electronic riff is very 1st wave alternative like Oingo Boingo or B-52s which is kind of fun but everything else is kind of generic.  I’ve never heard of this song but I feel like I’ve heard the vocals before.  Oh it’s the Black Keys.  I’ve never been wild about them.  This song is okay.  They’re another band with a really big, cult-like fan base that are intensely into the Black Keys.



Track 8 (Black Keys - Gotta Get Away):
This has a mid-late Beatles vibe which is probably a very grand statement but oh well.  The solo is fun and very classic. I like this song! I’ve never heard it! The chorus is really catchy.  Lol. It’s the fuckin Black Keys *eats words* (Ha ha. Made you say something nice about them.)


Track 9 (Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better):
I WANNA GET BETTER! The Bleachers!!!! I am super into this song.  It never gets old.  Some of the feelings conveyed are definitely relatable to a certain degree.


Track 10 (Coldplay - Magic):
I’m gonna say Jamie XX has something to do with this.  That guitar is all too familiar.  I don’t know this song isn’t bad.  I don’t love it but I don’t hate.  Oh weird! Coldplay? I didn’t even know they had a new album coming out. Huh. I thought I recognized the vocals.  Still, it has a sound similar to The XX.  I was really into Coldplay in like 8th grade.  They came to my hometown and this girl from a group of acquaintances I hung out with invited everyone else in the group but I wasn’t invited.


Track 11 (Coldplay - A Sky Full of Stars):
Jk I forgot that this song was a thing. Of course Coldplay released a new album.  I like this song a lot! I admire Chris Martin’s attempts to stay relevant in the music world after all these years.  


Track 12 (Dirty Heads - My Sweet Summer):
I don’t like this song but I do appreciate the ambiguousness of Summer, a girl, and summer, a season.  But yeah, I’m not a fan of Dirty Heads and this song just reinforces my distaste.


Track 13 (Fall Out Boy - Centuries):
FOB! I don’t like this song but I can see how others would like it.  The chorus is annoying.  I like Uma Thurman from the new album better.  The only music video I have on my iPod is This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.               


Track 14 (Fitz & the Tantrums - The Walker):
This song is in every commercial on TV I feel like.  I don’t like this song.  It’s annoying.  Nothing about is really original but then again I’ve never written a song so who am I to judge.  Idk.  Something about this song is really off-putting. I don’t even care who it is. (This is one of your niece's favorite songs. So, I don't know how you feel about that, but it is the case. It went on her 2014 Christmas Mix)


Track 15 (Hozier - Take Me to Church):
TAKE ME TO CHURCH! UGHHHHHH this is a great song. His voice is beautiful.  It’s such an intimate song.  I can’t wait to see what else Hozier comes out with. (You and me both. I get excited by this kind of up and coming musician)


Track 16 (Jack White - Lazaretto):
The first band I thought of was RHCP. But I doubt it’s them.  Whoops. It’s Jack White.  Never been a huuuuge fan but this song is pretty cool!  The middle part is fun n trippy.  Interesting usage of violins/violas.  There’s a lot going on in this song.


Track 17 (Kings of Leon - Wait For Me):
The intro sounded like the intro to Twin Peaks a little bit...like maybe if you had an ear infection or something.  I know the vocals… oh yeah Kings of Leon.  Idk.  This song is ok I guess.  Kinda pretty.


Track 18 (KONGOS - Come With Me Now):
NOOOO I can’t stand this song. It’s so obnoxious. It’s also on every TV commercial for like beer or like ice hockey or something now. Ughhhhhhh. I would instantly switch the station if this came on the radio. (Right but you have to understand what a breath of fresh air this song was when it came on the countdown. And then advertisers discovered it, too)


Track 19 (Milky Chance - Stolen Dance):
The chorus ruins it but everything else about this song is kind of fun.  I like the parts when there are no vocals...I feel like I’m at a bleak, minimalist disco. I’ve never heard of the band Milky Chance.   


Track 20 (Vance Joy - Riptide):
Damnit. Everything about Riptide is super catchy. It’s a very solid song.  I’m eager to see what else Passenger comes up with. (I totally get how you made this mistake. I don't hold it against you one bit.)


Track 21 (Weezer - Back to the Shack):
Duh. This song rocks. Long live Weezer. (Amen sister. Amen.)

Thanks to my sister for doing this. It's always awesome to pick the brain of someone as into music as I am, hearing these songs with new ears!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

New Countdown: Schedule Shake-Up!


twenty one pilots

Yes. Here this is early. To find out why, listen in!

It's a fun episode and kicks things off for the Fall!

What's your favorite song on the countdown these days? Answer in the comments!


Countdown #262

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

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Throwback Thursday: 1962



1. Bye Bye Love
2. You Don't Know Me


3. Half as Much
4. I Love You So Much It Hurts
5. Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way)
6. Born to Lose
7. Worried Mind
8. It Makes No Difference Now
9. You Win Again
10. Careless Love
11. I Can't Stop Loving You
12. Hey, Good Lookin'

This was his only #1 album until 2004, when Genius Loves Company hit #1 (after it won Album of the Year at the Grammys). "You Don't Know Me" peaked at #2

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday (Part 2): R. City featuring Adam Levine "Locked Away"

Ok. So I was listening to a Billboard podcast from 2 months ago and they were talking about something that makes me feel a bit foolish.

Apparently, in the first week of July, Billboard switched from releasing new charts on Thursday, to releasing them on Tuesday. So here's THIS week's Top Ten Tuesday.

I'm not sure what this means for the podcast, but listen in the coming weeks and we'll figure it out.

I was sort of surprised by how much I liked this song. And the video is fantastic too. I hope this becomes a big hit because I would like to hear a lot more of it.

September 2015 Media Update

Well here we are at the beginning of September. I lost track of time to post this at noon, which is my wont, but I *did* remember to keep track of all the things I like to keep track of, so let's count it a win.



Last Thing I Watched: The first television show came back from summer hiatus last night. It was Awkward, which started its final season with the embarrassing Senior Streak Mishap pictured above.

I'm going to miss this show, but I feel like maybe it's good that it's ending, so that I can not feel so much like an old man watching a teen show.



Last Thing I Read: Speaking of old men, I started reading a new book on Sunday night. It's called The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana and, so far, it's about a man who has found that he has all the stored memory of literature and culture and motor functions and almost everything. Except he doesn't remember anything about himself or his family. It's VERY enjoyable so far!


Last Thing I Listened To: I discovered a new podcast a couple of weeks ago! It's called Song Exploder. Basically every episode is about a different song and the artist talks about all of the different aspects of the song, from the drum part, to the bass part, to the weird piece of metal they used for that weird metallic sound in the background. Or whatever. So the last song I listened to was a song called "Ring My Bell" by a group/person who goes by the name White Hinterland. It's quite weird but very lovely. I'm going to link to just the song, but also to the episode if I can.

Ok here's the whole episode (it ends with the song in its entirety):




And here's the song if you just want to listen to it:

 


Things I'm Seeing on the Internet: In celebrity news, Kanye West said on Sunday night's VMA's that he was going to be running for President in 2020. A lot of people are reacting seriously or otherwise making a big deal about how their not taking him seriously is somehow a rebellion or outside of the box thinking. I don't think that that kind of thing should EVER be taken seriously. Especially when the guy has just finished saying that he got really high before the show.

In more innocent and adorable areas of the Internet, school started back up for a bunch of my friends' kids. My oldest still has one more year before she starts school, but I was getting really excited seeing all of these stoked little kids. I'm not going to post pictures of kids on here though because the Internet can be a shady place. And if I'm going to betray the trust of my friends and family, I want to do it in a much safer place. Know what I mean? ;-)

When I post again, my daughter will have started Pre-K. Crazy.


Top Ten Tuesday: Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz "679"

Well, it's the third Top 10 song for Fetty Wap this year. Pretty impressive. I wonder if he'll just be a 2015 thing, or if he'll have a lasting effect on the industry...