The Massive Bogota Shuffle

Please pardon the down time between posts but I've had quite a time of it these past few weeks. By this time tomorrow I'll be headed to Bogota for a great gig and I've been hunkered down making sure I feel ready to roll. And I do.

Plus I've had a hard time keeping the iPod charged enough to type in my shuffle lists. What has been happening is I'll do a shuffle, get to work, scroll back to type in all the songs and by the time I've done that the battery has shit the proverbial bed.

So today, to make sure I post something before I head off to South America for the first time in my life (one of the many firsts this work trip is affording me), I brought the damn iPod charger with me. The following list is a huge one, a shuffle that has been going since sometime last week.

I won't blame you if you scroll through and pick and choose. There are times since I started this crazy project (i.e. reviewing every single song on my iPod, 6,973 to be exact, hope you plan on reading me until 2017) when I wish I could skip over certain songs, albums, whole genres. But I'm sticking to my self-imposed guns.

422. The Wedge - Dick Dale from King of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale

As a member of that vast six string fraternity I bow in reverence and homage to our house president, the man who has organize and scored so many sweet parties, drawing hot babes from all walks of life into our humble frat house, taking their occasionally reluctant feet and hearts and setting them to dance so that they might shake off their collegiate inhibitions and maybe flash us their tits.

423. Swanee River - Django Reinhardt from 'The Art Of The Jazz Guitar'

After having graduated from the awesome though perhaps more low-brow Dick Dale Academy and enrolling in graduate school in the Django Reinhardt School Of You'll-Never-Be-As-Good-As-Me-And-I-Only-Have-Three-Fingers Jazz Playing, the tendency is sometimes to throw your five-fingered inadequacies up in the air and simply say, "Why the hell do I even bother when cats like this can destroy me with their eyes closed and two fewer digits???' But ultimately inspiration prevails and you happily settle into your low status as a six-stringer.

424. Cathedral - Van Halen from 'Diver Down'

And then Eddie Van Halen says, "Why did you ever even go to college you kiss ass? I quit high school and listen to how I can play!"

425. O Girlfriend - Weezer from 'Weezer (Green Album)'

When Weezer open it up and let it pour out in sincerity and heartfelt emotion, there is no one better. When it is Rivers Cuomo testing out his math theories through songwriting exercises that involve throwing darts at topics and mixing them up with a formula that he was working on when he was at Harvard, not so much. This is thankfully from the first category. There is such a thing as being too smart for your own good.

426. God Damn King Kong - Pimp Fu/Bomer-B from 'Brooklyn Basement Tapes'

This is actually a cut on Pimp Fu's 'Coffe, Pot' classic but I'll also be including it on some future best-of-compilation...it is the first thing that Timothy and I ever recorded together so it is impossibly precious to me.

It took us a couple of hours. Timothy laid down the beat first to accompany the title that I had had in my head for ten years. Then we each wrote a couple bars to match the number of stanzas to the beat. Then I recorded an electric guitar track to mimic the zip-zip of a turntable being scratched and a melodic acoustic part to give it some melody.

Up there with my favorite artistic output ever.

427. Stomping Grounds - Fecund Youth from 'Branded: Hung Like A Bull'

That iPod must be thinking about my career retrospective! Tom DeVincke and I had been writing songs for a couple of months when he challenged me to write better lyrics. I'd basically been moping about some girl or five and being the dyed-in-the-wool punk rocker that he is, Tom felt that I ought to write about "something that matters". Now, I'm not saying these lyrics are worthy of the Nobel Peace prize but that little push sent me into much more complex territory. This impresses me about Tom to this day. That he would have the thought and express it.

428. Better Living Through Chemistry - Queens Of The Stone Age from 'Rated R'

Makes me want to be out at Joshua Tree at sunset around a fire with a bale of marijuana blazing away just over the hill so I can feel better about catching a contact high.

429. Disappearing Act - Ron Sexsmith from 'Cobblestone Runway'

I've been humming this song since I heard it again. This guy is the real deal and this is a killer tune.

430. Winter - Bebel Gilberto from 'Bebel Gilberto'

Sexy.

431. Kill You - Eminem from 'The Marshall Mathers LP'

Hilarious.

432. If I Fell - The Beatles from 'A Hard Day's Night'

Beatles.

433. Suicide Doors - Jack Logan from 'Mood Elevator'

How this guy slipped through the cracks back into obscurity is a major shame. His story is a fascinating one. Look him up sometime.

434. Disappearer - Sonic Youth from 'Goo'

Every now and then Sonic Youth inexplicably become the sexiest band on earth. I still don't understand why or how but it happens.

435. Madrin Rain - The Pogues from 'Hell's Ditch'

Great album produced by Joe Strummer. Shane McGowan sounds like a MESS. It's a wonder that guy is still alive.

436. Promises - Fugazi from '13 Songs'

This album went off like a bomb in the hardcore punk world and had all sorts of idiots screaming "SELL OUT" which in retrospect is hilarious.

437. Penitentiary - Ice Cube from 'War & Peace Volume 1 (The War Disc)'

Yeh-yeh!

438. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me - Frank Sinatra from 'Songs For Swingin' Lovers'

When Frank put this album out it was sort of a game changer, for his career as well as for the concept of the album in general. It was a cohesive unit, not just a random collection of songs. It was designed to be a single artistic achievement thematically, sonically, emotionally. This has sort of been lost in the shuffle of the magnitude of Ol' Blue Eyes career but he basically invented THE ALBUM.

439. Bullet The Blue Sky - U2 from 'Joshua Tree'

Bono thinks he is emoting with all his grunts and overbearing sighs but he just sounds constipated. Take some kaopectate and just sing, please.

440. Damned If I Do - The Artist Formerly Known As Prince from 'Emancipation (Disc 1)'

More excellence from the most bizarre superstar on the face of the earth.

441. Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters from 'Goodfellas (Soundtrack)'

What is there to say?

442. Love Me Do - The Beatles from 'Please Please Me'

Beatles.

443. The World May Never Know - Dr. Dog from 'Easy Beat'

Silly but forgettable.

444. Let's Stay Together - Al Green from 'Al Green - Greatest Hits'

If Al Green were starting out today, he'd be given some stupid name like AG or Greenback, or Money Man or some shit. Thankfully he started when he did and he's just Al Green.

445. New Fast Fucky - Soul Side from 'Soon - Come - Happy'

Sonically very interesting but the songs are just not quite as unique and memorable as the sound itself.

446. Neighborhood # 3 (Power Out) - Arcade Fire from 'Funeral'

I hope Paul Haggis brings these losers down too.

447. Come On Nature - The Proclaimers from 'Sunshine On Leith'

Ah, now that's a song, that's a band, these bespectacled geeks are MONSTERS. Song MONSTERS.

448. Dirt To Mud - Paul Westerberg from 'Stereo'

Speaking of monster, I'm working on a large post chronicling Paul Westerberg's solo career which has, to my mind, become far more interesting than that band he was in back in the day.

449. Crosseyed And Painless - Talking Heads from 'Sand In The Vaseline (Disc 1)'

Still not sure what all the fuss is about. It's very very good, don't get me wrong, and when I watch 'Stop Making Sense' it is clear that the live essence is monstrous but the catalog just leaves me a little flat.

450. Tell You Why Tomorrow - Husker Du from 'Warehouse: Songs And Stories'

The more I hear of Husker Du the more I think that if they'd actually gotten a real drummer and put Grant Hart out front with Bob Mould with an electric guitar they would have been UNSTOPPABLE. His drumming is just not good. The sound on it is muffled, there is no definition to it, it drags the songs down. I know this is a kind of blasphemy but I gotta say it. His songs? Top notch. His singing? Heartbreaking. His drumming? Amateur hour.

451. Give Judy My Notice - Ben Folds from 'Songs For Silverman'

Thank you Ben for taking my heart out of my chest, slicing it up into a million crying pieces, dicing it in a blender laced with acid, putting it in a beautiful martini glass and somehow making it taste like the greatest cocktail I've ever had.

452. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - The Clash from 'Story Of The Clash Volume 1 (Disc 2)'

The Clash.

453. Bad Boy - Backbeat Band from 'Backbeat Original Soundtrack'

Almost the Beatles.

454. Drink Deep - Rites Of Spring from 'End On End'

They were really onto something. There is some indescribable element of release and emotional output that Rites Of Spring dove after and achieved. I couldn't hum a song but whenever they come on it is almost embarrassing, like reading someone's diary.

455. Rite Of Passage - Onion from 'Beauty Is Ordinary'

Good tune.

456. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Radiohead from 'The Bends'

Before they were great.

457. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen from 'Born To Run'

Sometimes I can't help it and he just makes me roll my eyes. I like him when he isn't so sure of himself.

458. You're A Soldier - Husker Du from 'Warehouse: Songs And Stories'

Again with the subpar drumming.

459. Under The Cherry Moon - Prince from 'Parade'

This is perhaps the most sophisticated pop album ever made. It is a highlight of human creation.

460. Trans Am - Neil Young & Crazy Horse from 'Sleeps With Angels'

A whole album in response to being tagged in Cobain's suicide note, this one equates a failing muscle car with the American dream. Genius.

461. Get The Fuck Outta Dodge - Public Enemy from 'Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black'

Yes sir.

462. Bookmark - Paul Westerberg from 'Suicaine Gratifaction'

Um, if anyone else recorded this it would merit a whole section in the massively watched documentary made about them by Ken Burns.

463. Steady Diet - Fugazi from 'Steady Diet Of Nothing'

464. Long Division - Fugazi from 'Steady Diet Of Nothing'

Two in a row from what I consider to be a classic. Not even Fugazi fans agree with me and I love that.

465. Ain't So Easy - David & David from 'Welcome To The Boomtown'

No, it ain't. Now that I've been in the Boomtown for almost 10 years, no, it ain't easy.

466. Ikebana - Kevin Shields from 'Lost In Translation'

Huh?

467. Mt. Pleasant - The Evens from 'The Evens'

The follow up to Fugazi with Ian and his wife making music on a smaller scale. Endearing but not all that engaging.

468. Accidents Will Happen - Elvis Costello & The Attractions from 'Armed Forces (Bonus Tracks)'

When you hear the tracks of his that didn't get chosen you start to get a sense that this guy will never be properly appreciated.

469. Morning Bell - Radiohead from 'Kid A'

Ouch. This one hurts very deeply.

470. Eyes Like Sparks - Grandpaboy from 'Mono'

One line. One guy in a basement. Again, come back for my monster post about Paul Westerberg and his various aliases.

471. Airline To Heaven - Billy Bragg & Wilco from 'Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2'

Only interesting not transcendent like everything on Vol. 1.

472. Tonight The Heartache's On Me - Dixie Chicks from 'Wide Open Spaces'

Great.

473. My Bionic Eyes - Liz Phair from 'Liz Phair'

Hot.

474. 37 Yeti - Pimp Fu from 'Coffee, Pot'

So funny. There is actually a yeti making noise in this sound. Not sure how he recorded a Yeti in our Brooklyn basement in the summer.

475. Man In Need - Richard & Linda Thompson from 'Shoot Out The Lights'

Way underrated even if it is on all the best all time lists.

476. Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine - The White Stripes from 'Elephant'

Boy I Do Not Care About This Band.

477. Bobo In The Corner - The Beastie Boys from 'Ill Communication'

There were a few years there when these guys could do no wrong.

478. Dachau Blues - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band from 'Trout Mask Replica'

I remember reading Rolling Stone's list of the top 100 albums of all time when I was in high school. I was shocked that I had never even heard of a few of them. This was one of them. So later when Columbia Records And Tapes was emptying out their vaults and basically destroying the record business without even knowing it, I picked this disc up. Colossally strange and amazing. This song in particular is deeply disturbing.

479. Kooks - David Bowie from 'Bowie At The Beeb (Disc 1)'

Twee.

480. Ed's Song - Emmitt Swimming from 'Wake'

Thank you, Justin.

481. Closing Time - Lyle Lovett from 'Lyle Lovett'

Before I stopped caring.

482. Nocturne No. 1 - Joe Jackson from 'Night Music'

Very sophisticated and suave.

483. Alligator Wine - Screamin' Jay Hawkins from 'Voodoo Jive: The Best Of Screamin' Jay Hawkins'

Bonkers. Truly bonkers.

484. Let's Pretend We're Married - Prince from '1999'

Sometimes Prince lets you into his thinking and he reminds you that teenage boys have NO IDEA what women like.

485. Summer's Cauldron - XTC from 'Skylarking'

This is one of those perfect albums and this is a highlight. Apparently they hated Todd Rundgren but, guys, the proof is in the pudding. Everyone agrees this is your best album ever. Put your pride down and give the man some props.

486. There's No Home For You Here - The White Stripes from 'Elephant'

There's No Song For Me Here.

487. The Ultimate Shit - Pimp Fu from 'Raw Fushi...t'

Indeed.

488. I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship - David Bowie from 'Heathen'

To hear the change from the Bowie-Live-At-The-Beeb Bowie to this Bowie is simply astonishing. This isn't even a highly regarded album of his but man, I love it.

489. Mesmerizing - Liz Phair from 'Exile In Guyville'

Yes, yes, Liz, yes, you are.

490. Big City After Dark - Link Wray from 'Rumble! The Best Of Link Wray'

Every one of these songs is like a soundtrack to one of those propaganda films they used to show in the '50's to scare teenagers into staying straight, not putting each other's private parts together, and combing and cutting their hair on a regular basis. When they hear just a snatch of Link Wray they go INSANE.

491. The Max - Prince & The New Power Generation from 'O(+>'

Sing it Purple Yoda.

492. Ipanema Girl - Dirty Worxxx from 'The New Brazilian Sound'

Slinky.

493. I Got The Feelin' - James Brown from '20 All Time Greatest Hits!'

I do too, James. I do too.

494. This Bitter Earth - Banderas from 'Postcards From America'

Whatevs.

495. Body Of Water - Billy Bragg from 'Don't Try This At Home'

The more I hear this album the less I like it. Sorry Billy.

496. King Of The Mountain - Midnight Oil from 'Blue Sky Mining'

GREAT SONG.

497. Computer Blue - Prince from 'Purple Rain'

MORE GREAT SONG. NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANS!

498. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC from 'Back In Black'

It's like this band embodies some vast plain of rock, they are Gods of the rocky plain which stretches in all directions and is empty and vast but somehow peopled by screaming headbangers.

499. Crows In The Wheatfield - Del Amitri from 'Del Amitri'

Ah Del Amitri. You should have really made it. Like last forever made it.

500. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me - Diana Krall from 'Love Scenes'

Every time I hear this bitch open her mouth I picture her standing two inches away from a mirror staring at herself and blowing herself kisses. I can hear the acceptance speeches in her singing. GET OVER YOURSELF.

501. Ding Da Ding Ding - Pimp Fu from 'First Press'

Creepy and silent.

502. Bedlam Bridge - Midnight Oil from 'Blue Sky Mining'

More greatness from these down under geeks.

503. Bananeira - Bebel Gilberto from 'Tanto Tiempo'

Sexy!!! Did I say that about Bebel already? Sexy music.

504. Hair Pie: Bake 2 - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band from 'Trout Mask Replica'

More absolute conundrums from Van Vliet & Co.

505. Plastic & Concrete - Iggy Pop from 'American Caesar'

Hey Grandpa, take a nap.

506. Betcha By Golly Wow! - The Artist Formerly Known As Prince from 'Emancipation (Disc 1)'

This album was the beginning of the new beginning of the end of the beginning of the end for the guy who used to be Prince and then was a symbol and then was formerly known as but soon would be back to being Prince. And it is great.

507. Shooting Dirty Pool - The Replacements from 'Pleased To Meet Me'

This is one that all Replacements fans seem to agree is a clunker but I love it. It is dirty and a gamble just like the title suggests.

508. Safety Dance - Jaymz Bee's Royal Jelly Orchestra from 'Cocktail: Shakin' And Stirred'

Sometimes I want to hear kitsch. Other times I don't.

509. Politik - Coldplay from 'A Rush of Blood To The Head'

Don't get me wrong, I like these guys. But I get the impression that they try to come up with weighty complex sounding titles (i.e. Politik) for songs that ought to be named "Gosh, I Miss Her" or "I Really Miss Her" or "Today I Thought I'd Miss Her But I'm Thinking About You Instead - What Do You Think That Means?"

510. A Tous Les Enfants - Joan Baez from 'Boris Vian Et Ses Interpretes'

Ever since watching the Bob Dylan documentary I can't help but feel my hackles rise whenever I hear this self-important blowhard open her mouth. You really thought you and Bob Dylan could CHANGE the world? And you were disappointed that all he wanted to do was MAKE GREAT MUSIC??? No wonder he left your boring ass.

511. Chloroform - Jack Logan from 'Bulk (Disc 1)'

More greatness from our Refrigerator Mechanic Laureate.

512. Belladonna - Ebatule from 'The New Brazilian Sound'

Okay, getting tired of slinky sexy South American music which is ironic because I'm going to Bogota, Colombia tomorrow!

513. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival from 'Chronicle, Vol. 1'

Cousins Liam, Mike and I recently decided that CCR is the only appropriate choice for greatest American rock band of all time.

514. Between Love & Like - Grandpaboy from 'Mono'

Massive Westerberg post coming...

515. Warm Fuzzy Feeling - Fastball from 'All The Pain Money Can Buy'

This one falls flat, guys, sorry.

516. Imagination - The Rolling Stones from 'Some Girls'

This album is out of control.

517. Dolphin - The Artist Formerly Known As Prince from 'The Gold Experience'

Hey, Prince, you know what? Why don't you go on national TV and show us your assless chaps?

518. Picture In A Frame - Tom Waits from 'Mule Variations'

Great ballad.

519. All The Critics Love U In New York - Prince from '1999'

Why this song works so well I'll never know.

520. Someday After A While - Eric Clapton from 'From The Cradle'

Snooze.

521. Slap Me On The Ass - Pimp Fu from 'Raw Fushi...t'

Hilarious. Will someone let him slap them on the ass already?

522. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be - AC/DC from 'If You Want Blood You've Got It (Live)'

No it ain't.

523. Makin' Whoopee - Frank Sinatra from 'Songs For Swingin' Lovers'

Again, a cut from perhaps the first concept album.

524. Frozen Lake - Buffalo Tom from 'Let Me Come Over'

This album is the perfect line between their acoustic flavored last few albums and the distorted fuzz rock of their first few. Great album.

525. When The Whip Comes Down - The Rolling Stones from 'Some Girls'

Awwwshit.

526. Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker from 'Very Best Of'

Awwwshitagain.

527. About A Girl - Nirvana from 'Bleach'

Man, you can really hear the impending departure of this lame drummer.

528. So What - John Cale from 'Walking On Locusts'

So what indeed, John. Don't name your song 'So What' unless you want someone to say so what about it.

529. Shambala - The Beastie Boys from 'Ill Communication'

The mystical lost city...which people are currently chasing in Thomas Pynchon's 'Against The Day' which I am re-reading...

530. We March - The Artist Formerly Known As Prince from 'The Gold Experience'

Oh, so the assless chap reveal wasn't enough now you think you are gonna get political on us? We March? About what? Your right to wear pants that have no ass on them?

531. Everyone Says "Hi" - David Bowie from 'Heathen'

Haunting.

532. Tell Kim I Said Hi - Elemenopy from 'Sgt. Walrus's Westward Journey - Volume 1'

Weird, first David Bowie says that everyone says hi and then these kooks are asking us to say hi for them. Patterns abound.

533. Complexity - The Roots from 'Phrenology'

How crazy is it that The Roots are on national TV every night with Fallon? I still get happy about that...

534. Bullroarer - Midnight Oil from 'Diesel And Dust'

Outrage and melody.

535. What You Want - Pimp Fu from 'Shocker'

I want more Pimp Fu music.

536. Cheap Reward - Elvis Costello from 'My Aim Is True'

Little known gem.

537. Bed Of Nails - Husker Du from 'Warehouse: Songs And Stories'

BAD DRUMMING.

538. Mary - Sublime from 'Robbin' The Hood'

When you are all strung out you have no standards. You can obviously still have talent but you just don't know what is good anymore.

539. How High The Moon Ella Fitzgerald from 'The Very Best Of Ella (Disc 1)'

After listening to Diana "I LOVE MYSELF" Krall, it is nice to hear a master. Although I can't hear two and a half minutes of scat singing with all the "dwi-bi-dooop-bwadda-mipmip-zuangalooooooooo". Like, sing the fucking words already.

540. Ngicueala - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing - Stevie Wonder from 'Songs In The Key Of Life (Disc 2)'

Bored.

541. Mountains Of Your Head - Buffalo Tom from 'Let Me Come Over'

Good but still bored.

542. Mansion On The Hill - Neil Young & Crazy Horse from 'Ragged Glory'

Oh man, this is the sound of a bunch of killer musicians out in the middle of nowhere in a big barn with every piece of equipment that they need and boatloads of inspiration and fury.

543. I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown from '20 All Time Greatest Hits!'

You forget about him until he starts singing and then you realize that he is still better than everybody else.

544. Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band from 'Trout Mask Replica'

What is with the Beefheart???

545. My Friend Of Misery - Metallica from 'Black Album'

His lyrics can be blush-inducing. Honestly. Terrible lyrics. Great song, though.

546. All Apologies - Nirvana from 'MTV Unplugged In New York'

Can you believe that MTV once had the clout to get their name on Nirvana's latest album? Can you imagine that happening today??? Lady Gaga's MTV Unplugged? NEVER WOULD HAPPEN.

547. Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed - David Bowie from 'Bowie At The Beeb (Disc 1)'

Go fuck yourself Bowie.

548. Taillights Fade - Buffalo Tom from 'Let Me Come Over'

This song is my 20's.

Okay. Thank god that's over. I'll be back in a week or so from Bogota!