Intuition

Two Hundred Fifty

Artist - The Black Angels
Album - Passover
Released - 2006
Label - Light in the Attic Records
Genre - Psychedelic Rock

Tracks:
1. Young Men
2. The First Vietnamese War
3. The Sniper at the Gates of Heaven
4. The Prodigal Sun
5. Black Grease
6. Manipulation
7. Empire
8. Better Off Alone
9. Bloodhounds on My Trail
10.  Call to Arms

Enjoy!

Stars

Two Hundred Forty-Nine

Album - Star Wars Soundtrack
Released - 1977
Label - BMI
Genre - Orchestral/Film Score

Tracks:
Side 1
Main Title
Imperial Attack
Princess Leia's Theme
The Desert and the Robot Auction
Side 2
Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack
The Little People Work
Rescue of the Princess
Inner City
Cantina Band
Side 3
The Land of The Sandpeople
Mouse Robot and Blasting Off
The Return Home
The Walls Converge
Side 4
The Princess Appears
The Last Battle
The Throne Room and End Title

Enjoy!

Dance I said, DANCE!!

Two Hundred Forty-Eight

Album - Footloose (Original Soundtrack of the Paramount Motion Picture)
Released - 1983
Genre - Soundtrack

Tracks:
Side One
Footloose - Performed by Kenny Loggins
Let's Hear it for the Boy - Performed by Deniece Williams
Almost Paradise (Love Theme from Footloose) - Performed by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
Holding Out for a Hero - Performed by Bonnie Tyler
Side Two
Dancing in the Streets - Performed by Shalamar
I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) - Performed by Kenny Loggins
Somebody's Eyes - Performed by Karla Bonoff
The Girl Gets Around - Performed by Sammy Hagar
Never - Performed by Moving Pictures

Enjoy!

The Greats

Two Hundred Forty-Seven

Artist - Simon and Garfunkel
Album - Greatest Hits
Released - 1972
Label - Columbia
Genre - Folk Rock

Tracks:
Side 1
Mrs. Robinson
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
The Boxer
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
The Sound of Silence
I Am A Rock
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Side 2
Homeward Bound
Bridge Over Troubled Water
America
Kathy's Song
El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
Bookends
Cecilia

Enjoy!!

Hypnotic Seduction

Two Hundred Forty-Six

Album - Flash Gordon
Music By - Queen
Released - 1980
Label - Hollywood Records/EMI
Genre - Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Flash's Theme
In The Space Capsule
Ming's Theme
The Ring
Football Fight
In The Death Cell
Execution of Flash
The Kiss
Side Two
Arboria
Escape from the Swamp
Flash to the Rescue
Vultan's Theme
Battle Theme
The Wedding March
Marriage of Dale and Ming
Crash Dive on Mingo City
Flash's Theme Reprise
The Hero

Enjoy!

Unavoidable

Two Hundred Forty-Five

Artist - The Nation of Ulysses
Album - The Embassy Tapes
Released - 1992/2000
Label - Dischord Records (No. 124)
Genre - Post-Hardcore

Tracks:
Side 1
Uptight
R.O.T.T.E.N.
A.P.E. Embassy
Hex-Proof
Side 2
Outline for Hangout
Gimme Disaster
Shakedown (Party)
Last Train to Cool
P-Power pt. II

IMPORTANT:  This Nation of Ulysses record was made on a four-track 1/2" tape machine in September of 1992 at their Embassy in Washington, D.C..  Due to the limitations of the technology and the volume of the music there is a certain amount of tape noise which was unavoidable.

Enjoy!

Standing Room Only

Two Hundred Forty-Four

Artist - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Album - S.R.O.
Released - 1966
Label - A&M Records
Genre - Jazz/Latin

Tracks:
Side One
Our Day Will Come
Mexican Road Race
I Will Wait For You
Bean Bag
The Wall Street Rag
The Work Song
Side Two
Mame
Blue Sunday
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
For Carlos
Freight Train Joe
Flamingo

Enjoy!

Recorded Live

Two Hundred Forty-Three

Artist - Dionne Warwick
Album - In Paris (Recorded at the Olympic Theater)
Released - 1966
Label - Scepter Records Inc.
Genre - Soul

Tracks:
I Love Paris
C'est Si Bon
Message To Michael
You'll Never Get To Heaven (French)
Walk On By
O Yeah Yeah Yeah (English and French with Sacha Distel)
The Good Life
Le Vie En Rose (French)
What'd I Say
A House Is Not A Home (French)

How many worlds can one conquer? If you ask Dionne Warwick, she might be too modest to give an honest answer, but her performance anywhere speaks for itself.  For the first time, Dionne was recorded at the world famous Olympia Theater, and this ensemble of great songs is truly a tribute to her talent and versatility and gives insight into her ability to completely captivate any audience.

Enjoy!

The Best

Two Hundred Forty-Two

Artist - Nirvana
Album - In Utero
Released - 1993
Label - David Geffen Records
Genre - Alternative Rock

Tracks:
Serve the Servants
Scentless Apprentice
Heart-Shaped Box
Rape Me
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle
Dumb
Very Ape
Milk It
Pennyroyal Tea
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
Tourette's
All Apologies

I don't even know where to start with this post, considering it is my favorite record of all time.  I guess I can go back to when I first heard it.  It was a little later after the album was released that I got a hold of In Utero, Nirvana's third and FINAL studio album.  I remember being very fascinated with the artwork on the cover and the back of the CD (yes, I first heard this on a CD) because it displayed a bunch of fetuses and a pregnant transparent anatomical mannequin.  When listening to it for the first time, I immediately had to give it a second go because I was floored at what I was listening to.  I went along with the lyrics the second time and instantly fell in love.  There is something about the way Kurt Cobain's voice flows with each lyric and the way it all goes together.  It's a masterpiece and to be labeled the group that forever changed the face of music was a heavy weight on his shoulders.  With Nevermind being their breakthrough album, you can really tell how much pain and anguish was put into this album and the realness of how he really felt his life was.  This album is perfect.  Absolutely perfect.

Enjoy!

My Hometown

Two Hundred Forty-One

Artist - James Gang
Album - Miami
Released - 1974
Label - ATCO Records
Genre - Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Crusin' Down the Highway
Do It
Wildfire
Sleepwalker
Miami Two-Step
Side Two
a. Praylude
b. Red Skies
Spanish Lover
Summer Breezes
Head Above The Water

Enjoy!

Christmas Time is Here

Two Hundred Forty

Artist - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Album - A Charlie Brown Christmas
Released - 1988
Label - Fantasy Records
Genre - Christmas Music/Holiday

Tracks:
Side One
O Tannenbaum
What Child Is This
My Little Drum
Linus and Lucy
Christmas Time is Here (Instrumental)
Side Two
Christmas Time is Here (vocal)
Skating
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
Christmas is Coming
Fur Elise
The Christmas Song
Greensleeves

One of my favorite Christmas records of all time, hands down, without a doubt, this is the one.  To even begin would be a disaster in itself because I could let myself go on how this album reminds me of all things great and fantastic, which stems from my childhood until now.  This record will forever be a record that I play every Christmas or even whenever I'm feeling nostalgic about things.  I absolutely love this album.

Enjoy!

Am I Dreaming

Two Hundred Thirty-Nine

Artist - Tangerine Dream
Album - Hyperborea
Released - 1983
Label - Virgin
Genre - Electronic/Psychedelic Rock

Tracks:
Side One
No Man's Land
Hyperborea
Cinnamon Road
Side Two
Sphinx Lightening

A very interesting record that my boyfriend recommended, I was surprisingly satisfied with it.  When first listening to this album, I instantly thought of a movie from the 80's, as if though this could have been on a soundtrack or something.  Then after doing a little research on the interwebz, it seems as though Tangerine Dream was hired to do some work on Risky Business, Flashpoint, Dreamscape, Firestarter, etc.  Then it all made sense, a typical 80's record relating to all the movies I grew up watching.  That's why it struck such a chord with me, which I always enjoy listening or seeing things that trigger my childhood.

Enjoy!

A Long Wait

Two Hundred Thirty-Eight

Artist - Nirvana
Album - Almost Everything - The BBC Sessions
Label - Marble Four
Released - 2012
Genre - Grunge/Alternative

Tracks:
Polly
Spank Through
Turn Around
Here I Am
Mollys Lips
Pretty Scary
Drain You
Love Buzz
About A Girl
Dementia 7
Melt Down
Dumb

The Nirvana junkie that I am, coming across this record put me in a curious mood.  As I was flipping through the N's at the record store, this caught my eye.  I debated on buying it, walking around the record store looking at other records but I just kept thinking about this one, so here we are, at my two hundred thirty-eighth post.  It amazes me that, while listening to these songs, some of the titles don't match the real name of the song, but I guess that's a good thing.  A good find, a special listen and something that I can enjoy.

Enjoy!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Two Hundred Thirty-Seven

Artist - Chet Atkins
Album - Christmas with Chet Atkins
Released - 1961
Label - RCA Victor
Genre - Christmas Music

Tracks:
Side 1
Jingle Bell Rock
Winter Wonderland
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
White Christmas
Jingle Bells
Silver Bells
Side 2
Little Drummer Boy
Medley: The Coventry Carol; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
The First Noel
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Deck the Halls
Silent Night

To all who know him, Chet Atkins is quite a man of great sensitivity, sincerity and humility...and yet a man who, through his music, has much to say.  When occasion demands, the Atkins guitar can be heard with tremendous versatility, though, always, there is warmth and immaculate taste in the playing.

Christmas is a time of reverence, humility and compassion for one's fellow man; it is also a time of gratitude for the good things in life, a time of joy and good cheer.  For this album, Chet has chosen selections that any gathering of people would sing around an open hearth at Yuletide-present-day popular songs of the season along with some of the more traditional Christmas favorites that have come down through the generations.  On Side 1 Chet is heard in his most familiar setting as he plays his famous electric guitar.  For Side 2, which contains most of the more traditional selections, Chet plays the classical guitar-an unamplified instrument with nylon strings on which he has already demonstrated his mastery of the classics.

Whichever way he performs, Chet Atkins, with an able assist from The Anita Kerr Singers in the background, never loses sight of the true spirit of Christmas as he offers his Season's Greetings.

Now, let us all enjoy CHRISTMAS WITH CHET ATKINS.

Enjoy!

Local is Good

Two Hundred Thirty-Six

Artist - The Strange Boys
Album - Be Brave
Released - 2010
Label - In The Red Records
Genre - Garage Rock

Tracks:
I See
A Walk On The Beach
Be Brave
Between Us
Da Da
Night Might
Dare I Say
Laugh At Sex, Not Her
All You Can Hide Inside
The Unsent Letter
You Can't Only Love When You Want

Enjoy!

In the Heart

Two Hundred Thirty-Five

Artist - Atmosphere
Album - When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold
Released - 2008
Label - Rhymesayers
Genre - Hip-Hop

Tracks:
Like The Rest of Us
Puppets
The Skinny
Dreamer
Shoulda Known
You
Painting
Your Glasshouse
Yesterday
Guarantees
Me
Wild Wild Horses
Can't Break
The Waitress
In Her Music Box

One of my favorite artists of all time, Atmosphere is pure poetry (in my world at least).  His storytelling type rhymes are just so perfect and so real, so here we have When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold.  In fact, this is the album that I heard that when I fell in love with Atmosphere that cold November night in 2008.  Ever since then, I've been such a strong supporter of all things Atmosphere, which entails going to all their shows every time they come to Austin, Texas.  Yesterday is an amazing song that makes me think about life, whereas Guarantees talks about real life struggles.  Slug, hardly rapping about most of the stuff that is out there today, keeps it real and to the point.  Let's not forget he's a genuine guy.  Never a complaint from me, Atmosphere is fantastic.

Enjoy!

This is not a Sport

Two Hundred Thirty-Five

Artist - Tennis
Album - Cape Dory
Released - 2011
Label - Fat Possum
Genre - Indie

Tracks:
Take Me Somewhere
Long Boat Pass
Cape Dory
Marathon
Bimini Bay
South Carolina
Pigeon
Seafarer
Baltimore
Waterbirds

Enjoy!

And The Beat Goes...

Two Hundred Thirty-Three

Artist - Quasi
Album - American Gong
Released - 2010
Label - Kill Rock Stars
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
A
Repulsion
Little White Horse
Everything & Nothing At All
Bye Bye Blackbird
The Jig Is Up
B
Black Dog & Bubbles
Death Is Not The End
Rockabilly Party
Now What
Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler

Enjoy!

One, Two

Two Hundred Thirty-Two

Artist - Dirty Three
Album - Cinder
Released - 2005
Label - Touch and Go Records
Genre - Instrumental/Folk Rock

Tracks:
This Side
Ever Since
She Passed Through
Amy
Sad Sexy
Cinders
That Side
This Might
Flutter
The Zither Player
It Happened
Other Side
Great Waves (feat. Chan Marshall)
Dream Evie
Feral
Doris
Rain On
Last Side
Ember
Michele
Too Soon, Too Late
Last Dance
In Fall

Dirty Three is a band from Australia who have definitely slipped under my radar.  Thank you to my lovely boyfriend for introducing me to this band and much to my surprise, after listening to this record, I discovered Chan Marshall sang on one of the tracks.  After I heard that, I had to look up who this band was and how I have managed to go so long without acknowledging their existence.  I immediately Google'd the name and when reading about the members in the band, I was instantly surprised.  WARREN ELLIS!!!  Though it's not Warren Ellis the Writer, because after seeing that I went to his Twitter which stated Not Australian Musician.  I instantly laughed at that.  Anyway, this album is Dirty Three's ninth studio album and by doing a little research, it was recorded in 10 days.  

Enjoy!

Animals?

Two Hundred Thirty-One

Artist - Tortoise
Album - TNT
Released - 1998
Label - Thrill Jockey
Genre - Post-Rock/Experimental

Tracks:
TNT
Swung from the Gutters
Ten-Day Interval
I Set My Face to the Hillside
The Equator
A Simple Way to go Faster than Light that Does Not Work
The Suspension Bridge at Iguazu Falls
Four-Day Interval
In Sarah, Mencken, Christ, and Beethoven There Were Women and Men
Almost Always is Nearly Enough
Jetty
Everglade

Enjoy!

From the Beginning

Two Hundred Thirty

Artist - Yo La Tengo
Album - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
Released - 2000
Label - Matador
Genre - Alternative Rock

Tracks:
1
Everyday
Our Way to Fall
Saturday
Let's Save Tony Orlando's House
2
Last Days of Disco
The Crying of Lot G
You Can't Have It All
Tear are in Your Eyes
3
Cherry Chapstick
From Black to Blue
Madeline
Tired Hippo
4
Night Falls on Hoboken

Enjoy!

Vibin'

Two Hundred Twenty-Ninth

Artist(s) - Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations
Album - Together
Released - 1969
Label - Motown
Genre - Pop/Soul

Tracks:
Stubborn Kind of Fellow
I'll Be Doggone
The Weight
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Sing A Simple Song
My Guy, My Girl
For Better or Worse
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Why (Must We Fall In Love)

A fantastic and soulful record, Together is an album with nothing but covers sung by the greatest musicians from Motown.  Such delight to have, this record is really a delight to listen to.

Enjoy!

Lately

Two Hundred Twenty-Eight

Artist - The Helio Sequence
Album - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Released - 2008
Label - Sub Pop
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
Lately
Can't Say No
The Captive Mind
You Can Come to Me
Shed Your Love
Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Back to This
Hallelujah
Broken Afternoon
No Regrets

Keep Your Eyes Ahead is the fourth album by Portland Indie Rockers The Helio Sequence and I just read a fun little fact about a song on this record.  You Can Come To Me samples sound effects from Super Mario Bros. 3.  Ahhh yes, now I'm going to need to pay closer attention to that song the next time I listen to it.  For the most part, this album is great, but I think Lately is one of my favorites, even though it's mainly about a break up.  Another band that I got to see live at Fun Fun Fun Fest this past November, this duo can definitely put on a great show.  It amazes me how two people can put on such a great live performance without the help of a bass and any other instrument.  Much respect to two piece bands that can rock out live.  Anyway, here is a fascinating blurb from their record:

A future that was and is

so seemingly within each,

but out of hand still.

Potential always betrayed.

A self-made foreign self-spite.

That which I know and have known

and have no reason to unlearn,

no matter the wise words

of friends or philosophers.

From the suburbs, where I find

living without a center a possible reality,

but a banal tragedy,

to the city, where I find

no center by an octopus of too many worlds,

many possible realities,

and a banal tragedy still.

And at last, a hole in a sock so big

that daring means creating newness

in negative space, a transplant,

a lattice-worked piece of sustenance

on the heel where it is walked on the most.

Chrzin, CZ 1/1/05

Enjoy!

Heavyness

Two Hundred Twenty -Seven

Artist - The Sword
Album - Age of Winters
Released - 2006
Label - Kemado
Genre - Heavy Metal

Tracks:
Side A
Celestial Crown
Barael's Blade
Freya
Winter's Wolves
The Horned Goddess
Side B
Iron Swan
Lament for the Aurochs
March of the Lor
Ebethron

The debut album by Austin rockers The Sword, Age of Winters is a heavy, yet fascinating record.  Heavy metal at it's best, this record, in its entirety is pretty hard.  I always admire my taste in music, not to sound full of myself, because my range is so broad.  I go from Hip-Hop to Pop to Heavy Metal and it just helps me appreciate all types of sounds.  When listening to this record, it reminded me a lot of Red Fang, another heavy metal band that I had the pleasure of seeing live at Fun Fun Fun Fest this past November.  I love the drums and guitar on this album the most.  I feels like I'm almost in a time warp when I used to listen to nothing by Heavy Metal.  Those were the days.

Enjoy!

Naked and Alone

Two Hundred Twenty-Six

Artist - Apostle of Hustle
Album - National Anthem of Nowhere
Released - 2007
Label - Arts & Crafts
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
"My Sword Hand's Anger"
National Anthem of Nowhere
The Naked & Alone
Haul Away
Cheap Like Sebastien
Rafaga!
Chances Are
A Rent Boy Goes Down
Fast Pony For Victor Jara
Justine, Beckoning
Jimmy Scott is the Answer
NoNoNo

The second album by Andrew Whiteman (frontman and guitarist for Broken Social Scene), National Anthem of Nowhere is such a fantastic record.  I don't know how I stumbled upon this band, probably through Last.fm since it also recommends similar artists to what you are listening to, this was another happy accident.  Becoming very obsessed with this record at the time it was released, especially with Naked & Alone, I instantly fell for this album.  I feel like I speak about albums I like or even love as if they were people I've shared intimate moments with.  With that regard, this is a world-ly type of record because there are a few tracks that are sung in Spanish, which is interesting in itself.  A very easy listening record, I enjoy all that this album has to offer.

Enjoy!

With Much Delight

Two Hundred Twenty-Five

Artist - Sound Team
Album - Marathon
Released - 2005
Label - St. Ives Records
Genre - Indie Rock

Tracks:
A
The Fastest Man Alive
Your Eyes Are Mirrors
Orange Bird
In The Dark No One Can Hear You Sweat
B
Back in Town
Shattered Glass
Afterglow Years
Don't Turn Away

A rarity to find, I thank my friend Brian for sharing this pick.  Sound Team is a local Austin band that I've stumbled upon (through the recommendation through friends) a little too late.  Even though they broke up 5 years ago, it seems to me that that has not been the case.  Maybe because I play their music a lot and still enjoy it, maybe because Matt Oliver and Jordan Johns have now formed another group called TV Torso, who knows?  But what I know is is that this album is amazing.  The Fastest Man Alive, Back In Town and Shattered Glass are probably my favorites on this track.  The possibilities could have been endless for this band, but I think with record label woes and conflicts of interest/personalities, the end was inevitable.  If you ever come across any Sound Team tunes, they are definitely worth a listen.  Let me not forget to mention they are A-OK guys, though I can only speak for one.

Enjoy!

Queen of Pop

Two Hundred Twenty-Four

Artist - Madonna
Album - Like A Virgin
Released - 1984
Label - Sire/Warner Bros.
Genre - Pop

Tracks:
Side One
Material Girl
Angel
Like A Virgin
Over and Over
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Side Two
Dress You Up
Shoo-Bee-Doo
Pretender
Stay

The second album by Madonna, Like A Virgin, in the notoriety that it has, other than the more popular songs, it was pretty difficult to listen to.  When I thought that, I instantly thought of the music that was around in 1984.  As much as I love the whole pop/disco movement, I did not agree with the rest of the songs.  Material Girl, Like A Virgin and Love Don't Live Here Anymore are possibly the only good songs on this record, of course because these are the songs that made Madonna what she is today (plus her extraordinary open views that she incorporated into her music/appearance).  But when it's all said and done, at the end of the day -- listening to this record in a whole can be pretty painful getting through certain tracks.

Enjoy!