Delayed

After a 8hr shift at work and a 3.11 bike ride, I came home to no power.  Before I got home, I knew I didn't have power because my roommate called me to let me know it was out as well as the neighbors.  I figured it was just a quick fix, but LITTLE DID I KNOW that it would be off until almost 11:00 p.m.  It's been a while since I sat in a house for more than an hour without power.  I cleared my mind, read the rest of The Walking Dead comics Robbie let me borrow and the whole time I thought about how bad I wanted to play my one hundred ninth pick.  So here you are, a day late but NOT an album short.

Artist - Pretenders

Album - Pretenders

Released - 1980

Label - Sire Records

Genre - New Wave, Punk Rock

Tracks:

Precious

The Phone Call

Up The Neck

Tattooed Love Boys

Space Invader

The Wait

Stop Your Sobbing

Kid

Private Life

Brass In Pocket

Lovers of Today

Mystery Achievement

Let's spin this review a little differently here.  I'm a love of music and all things sound (if it is to my interest).  One of my favorite movies, Lost In Translation, has a part where a group is in a karaoke room singing and of course Brass In Pocket is being sung by Scarlette Johansson's character Charlotte.  Anyway, when a friend of mine mentioned that he wanted me to learn the lyrics for karaoke on 8/18, I had to rummage through my records to see if I had the Pretenders and I did.  So this is dedicated to my Seattle friend Patrick.  Come August 18th, we will sing this and drink.  

Enjoy!

Like a lick of Ice-Cream

Let be known that despite this album being four years old, it is one of my favorites.  For my one hundred eighth pick.

Artist - Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
Album - We Brave Bee Stings and All
Released - 2008
Label - Kill Rock Stars
Genre - Folk Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Beat (Health, Life and Fire)
Bag of Hammers
Big Kid Table
Swimming Pools
Geography
Feet Asleep
Side Two
Yes, Soon and So On
Fear and Convenience
Violet
Travel
We Go
Tallymarks (Live)
You Really Got a Hold on Me

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down is pure, raw and sweet.  I guess those are the only words I can think of that describes this band. When I was at the record store a few weeks ago, I saw this album.  My friend even mentioned it to me, pointing it out, but I did not buy it at that moment.  Two days ago, I was in an emotional funk and needed to get out of my house and get away from painting that I went back to the record store (End of Ear in Austin, Texas) and picked up this record along with 4 other vinyl records.  Man, buying vinyl records can be pretty pricey, but if you look, it is rewarding.  Anyway, back to this album.  So not only is this band a great band, but each song is so perfectly played and well sung.  On this record, my favorite is Bag of Hammers and You Really Got a Hold On Me.  Definitely one worth checking out.

Enjoy!

Personal Motto...Maybe?

A friend recommended this next pick and I dedicate it to him.  My old friend Jeremy, who I met at Cutler Ridge Middle School back in 1992 and he loved Prince.  For my one hundred seventh:

Artist - Sly and the Family Stone
Album - Fresh
Released - 1973
Label - Epic
Genre - Soul/Funk


Tracks:
In Time
If You Want Me To Stay
Let Me Have It All
Frisky
Thankful n' Thoughtful
Skin I'm In
I Don't Know (Satisfaction)
Keep on Dancin'
Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be)
If It Were Left Up To Me
Babies Makin' Babies

The sixth album by Sly and the Family Stone, Fresh has a personal motto I pretty much live by.  Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) is very true.  How much of a coincidence can writing about my personal motto and watching one of my favorite movies, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  I believe they both tie in together, somehow, or maybe I just want to believe that they do.  Anyway, this album was ranked 186 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums of all time.  

Enjoy!

Exciting and Productive

My day starts at 6:30 a.m. on Saturdays.  Why, do you ask, would I get up at that hour?  Well, when I wake up that early on a Saturday, it gives me a whole full day to do things.  Sundays are my sleep in days.  That being said, I walked into End of Ear Records and found this magnificent, yet satisfying circular piece of plastic which I am making my one hundred sixth pick.

Artist - Gang of Four

Album - Entertainment!

Released - 1979

Label - EMI

Genre - Post-Punk

Tracks:

Side One

Ether

Natural's not in it

Not great men

Damaged goods

Return the gift

Guns before butter

Side Two

I Found That Essence Rare

Glass

Contract

At home he's a tourist

5.45

Anthrax

Ok, I love this album.  I love I Found That Essence Rare!!  I don't know what else to say other than this album is fantastic.  My roommate Kevin told me, as I was putting this record on, that in high school he read an interview with the Minutemen and the interviewer asked them what were some of their influences.  He told me that they said Gang of Four were.  Then the record came on and after listening to it, I can see a resemblance.  Such a wonderful, influential band.

Enjoy!

Relaxation

My one hundred fifth pick put me in a relaxing mood.

Artist - Roberta Flack
Album - Killing Me Softly
Released - 1973
Label - Atlantic
Genre - R&B/Soul


Tracks:
Side One
Killing Me Softly
Jesse
No Tears (In The End)
I'm The Girl
Side Two
River
Conversation Love
When  You Smile
Suzanne

A very soothing, relaxing album by Roberta Flack, Killing Me Softly will put you at ease.  With the soulful sound of her voice and the piano playing that accompanies it, this album is worthwhile.  Nonetheless, we all know Killing Me Softly was covered by the Fugees and even though that rendition is a good one, you cannot go wrong with the original. 

Enjoy!

Shock Me, Shock Me, Shock Me with your Ways

Sometimes I sit and think a lot about my day, the things I did and the things I want to do at the moment.  So when I asked Kevin to pick out an record for me because I was drained, he picked this one.  I do have a little confession to make though, I TECHNICALLY listened to it yesterday after my one hundred third pick. It was so good I wanted to listen twice, so here's to you, my one hundred fourth pick.

Artist - Wire

Album - Pink Flag

Released - 1977

Label - EMI

Genre - Punk Rock

Tracks:

Side 1                                       

Reuters

Field Day for the Sundays

Three Girl Rhumba

Ex Lion Tamer

Lowdown

Start to Move

Brazil

It's So Obvious

Surgeon's Girl

Pink Flag 

Side 2

The Commercial

Straight Line

106 Beats That

Mr. Suit

Strange

Fragile

Mannequin

Different to Me

Champs

Feeling Called Love

12 x U

The debut album by Wire, Pink Flag is your best kept secret.  Out of the hundreds of vinyl records at my disposal, this one was on rotation to pick, but I kept pushing it back.  Then, the other day, I was so tired from work and running that I had my roommate pick out a record for me and he picked this one.  When I heard Mannequin, I fell in love.  You know, like those songs you hear for the first time and they just make you feel a certain way.  There have been a few songs that I felt like that about, one being Nirvana's Verse Chorus Verse.  So that being said, I gave this record TWO listens I liked it so much.  What's not to love about a punk rock band from London.

Enjoy!

Boom, Boom, CLAP

I guess you can consider this album another Olypmic appropriate album.  For my one-hundred and third pick.

Artist - Queen
Album - News of the World
Released - 1977
Label - EMI
Genre - Rock


Tracks:
Side One
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Sheer Heart Attack
All Dead, All Dead
Spread Your Wings
Fight From the Inside
Side Two
Get Down, Make Love
Sleeping on the Sidewalk
Who Needs You
It's Late
My Melancholy Blues

The sixth studio album by Queen, News of the World is a very different album.  I say different in a sense that you when listen to this album in it's entirety, you would be pretty shocked.  Here you have, possibly, the two best songs that will pump you up, EVER!!  I'm speaking of the first two songs off this record, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions.  If those songs don't get you pumped, you have no soul, SERIOUSLY!! But after that, the vibe of this album is very unique.  It has a blues sound, a blues rock sound and then a slow, island/tropical type sound.  What's the word I'm looking for....EXOCTIC!!  It's not a bad album at all and I'm not trying to put that out there.  What I like the best about this album is that it's so different.  I love and always will love Freddie Mercury's voice.  Such a talented individual, such a great musician!

Enjoy!