Countdown to 5,000 Songs

My Last.fm page says that I have played 4,990 songs since joining. In celebration of the pending song 5000, I am going to play the next 10 songs right now, and depending on how I feel, say a bit about them and/or post an MP3 of them. For the record, I have my iTunes set to shuffle my entire library, and I will not skip any song, no matter how embarrassing it may be. So here we go, this should be fun!

Song 4,991: The Monkees - Daydream Believer [iTunes]
...and I can see we're off to a good start *rolls eyes*. One of those songs that's been played about three bazillion times on your local oldies radio station (see also: "Brown Eyed Girl", "Magic Carpet Ride"). And how can you not love the multiple key changes at the end? Ah...

Song 4,992: Foo Fighters - Never Talking to You Again (Husker Du cover) [Foo on iTunes]
Got this as a B-Side when The Good, The Bad and the Unknown released a bunch of unreleased Foo songs. Always loved acoustic Foo Fighters, and this one sounds just as good as a Foo song as it does anyone else.

Song 4,993: The Beatles - Let it Be (Naked Version) [buy the CD on Amazon]
Almost certainly on my list of the 10 best Beatles songs ever. Don't know if I like the original or the Let it Be...Naked version better, and there are times when I'm not sure I can tell the difference (just as I finished typing that I got to the guitar solo and lo, I could hear a much more stripped down, raw guitar. Advantage: Naked version (for now)). My high school chorus would do this once or twice in class when we had nothing better to do. The last verse seals the deal every time:

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me
Shine on til tomorrow, Let it be
I wake up to the sounds of music, mother Mary calls to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be...

Love it. Love it. Love it.

Song 4,994: Jimmy Eat World - Night Drive [iTunes]
One of the better songs off of Futures, an album that I could never really appreciate, especially now that Chase this Light is on constant rotation on my computer. One of Jim Adkins' best lyrical moments on the whole albums, and one of the few instances where the slower, softer Jimmy actually works out well. I think if I ever do the cliche "take a girl up to a hill overlooking a city" bit, I'd want this song playing. Has the right atmosphere, even when it kicks back into full band at the last 90 seconds or so. Its about as good as the most average songs on the new album, which is still pretty damned good.

Song 4,995: Secondhand Serenade - End [iTunes]
This works out rather nicely, since I got a MySpace bulletin from them encouraging to tell one person about them. Since I'm writing a blog that I assume more than one person reads, I think that mission is accomplished. I did a more thorough write up on Secondhand Serenade last week, go check it out.

This brings up one more thing; if you read this thing, leave a comment at some point just to say what's up. It'd be nice to hear some feedback, even if it's a "you're taste in music sucks". Which I doubt it would be since you're reading this and its a blog dedicated to music. As long as I'm on a tangent here, let the record show that I've been typing live, so if there are any screw ups or if some bits seem shorter than others, that's why. The Foo Fighters song was only 2 minutes long, hence it's shortness. This song is nearly 3 minutes of the line "Don't Let Me Down", among others, so its easy to run out of stuff to say. Awesome harmonies though. So yeah check these guys out.

Song 4,996: Creed - My Sacrifice [iTunes]
There was no way I was getting through 10 songs without something potentially embarrassing coming up. But at any rate, be a man and admit it; you liked Creed back when they were popular too, and jumped ship like everyone else when things got sour. The only difference is I still admit to having all three CDs and listening to them once in awhile. The music wasn't terrible (not compared with some of the other garbage that was making money in 2001), people just hate Scott Stapp. And to some degree with reason.

In a related story, Human Clay was apparently #7 on the list of 10 best-selling albums of the SoundScan era. At #1? Shania Twain's Come On Over. Seriously? Shania Twain is at #1, and people are gonna bitch about Creed? There's something wrong with this picture.

Song 4,997: Staind - Outside [iTunes]
The second, less-appreciated single from what was Staind's first widely popular album. Sadly this isn't the live version where Fred Durst kinda mumbles along and then shouts at the crowd during the guitar break.

This is another band that gets a bad rap for being on the radio in the early '00s. Look; if you found out you could write songs, and one or both of your parents treated you like crap, don't you think you would try to get some getback? Cut Aaron Lewis a break. It's not his fault that a bunch of other bands tried to ride his coattails.

(This is getting increasingly difficult as my dad tries to make his new phone work. Missed the last 30 secs of "Outside" and the first minute of the next song. Pausing now to catch up.)

Song 4,998: Eve 6 - Tongue Tied [iTunes]
And we're back on track. Found out two weeks ago that Eve 6 is among the laundry list of bands that chose to reunite. Normally these guys would qualify on the list of bands that didn't deserve a reunion, but Horrorscope (the second album) was one of my favorite CDs in middle school, so I'm gonna let this one slide. Cool song from the first album, the only one I don't have.

Song 4,999: The Animals - House of the Rising Sun [iTunes]
Another frequenter of the oldies radio stations. Every time it comes on my dad feels the need to point out that there's an organ solo, so yeah...there's an organ solo somewhere in this song. The first verse was also the intro to the U2/Green Day song after Hurricane Katrina "The Saints Are Coming". I wanna say its been used in something else worth noting, some movie or something, but I'm blanking. A thousand points to whoever comes up with what I'm thinking of. Not a terrible song, despite being on oldies radio station (sorry folks, after hearing oldies every time I'm in a car with my father, I have a special place in my heart for such things).

And now...here it comes...I want you to know I'm drumrolling in my head right now...




Song 5,000: Maroon 5 - Not Falling Apart [iTunes]
...
...
...
Wow. That was anticlimactic. I think I've only listened to this song maybe once. One of the misses on the hit-and-miss last album. Of all the good songs on the CD, I had to get this pedestrian one? iTunes has failed me. Listening to it now anyway...it's not so terrible that my ears are bleeding, but there's nothing particularly fun about it. It sounds like an average Maroon 5 song. I don't understand why Rolling Stone gave so much love to this CD when Linkin Park and the Foo Fighters put out so much better work this year. It probably has something to do with the fact that Adam Levine looks like equal parts Justin Timberlake and Bruce Banner. Maybe they were afraid of him going Incredible Hulk or something.

So there you have it. 5,000 songs since November 27, 2006. Below I'm posting songs 1,000 and 2,000, just 'cause I have them listed. I'll be back later.

Song 1,000: Eminem - Lose Yourself [iTunes]
Song 2,000: The Killers - Sam's Town [iTunes]


==TJ==

PS: I did this piece as I heard each song, so you basically got 10 Currently Listening's today, so I'll skip a separate one today.

Too Many Albums, Too Little Time...

I've listened to a lot of stuff over the last week or two, some of it leaks of stuff and other random songs, and now I'd like to offer up some of that to you lovely people.

-Just for the hell of it I snagged a leak of Say Anything's concept album In Defense of the Genre. I generally tend to sneer at concept albums (these days they're overdone, and only My Chemical Romance and Nine Inch Nails have done them REALLY well). But with the help of a laundry list of guest acts (Gerard Way, Chris Carrabba, Adam Lazzarra, among others), Say Anything puts together a fun, meaningful group of songs that may not be immediately memorable, but you can't help but want to keep listening to see what happens next. I'm only a couple tracks into the second disc, but it's a really strong set from a band I never really took seriously before
Ruling on the Field: 8/10
Highlight Reel: The Church Channel

A few weeks ago iTunes offered up a free song called "Pictures of You" by a band called The Last Goodnight. The track was amazing, and after they dropped the album price down to $5.99, I decided to give it a shot. I still haven't played the whole CD yet, but comparisons to a young, slightly more diverse Maroon 5 are accurate. That said, it doesn't appear to be that exciting either. Still giving it a shot though, so a rating is pending. In the meantime, I offer you "Pictures of You"
The Last Goodnight - Pictures of You

I meant to post this awhile ago (like back in July), but forgot till now. After 3 years of releasing singles to whet the appetite of fans and a change in moniker, the band formerly known as Omnisoul released their debut album under their new name, The Crash Motive. The album, entitled Consequence, was released on October 9th and somehow managed to sneak under my radar and the collective radar of the rest of the industry. The album contains the three songs already released under the old name ("Waiting (Save Your Life)", "Not Giving Up", and "When You Go") along with 10 other tracks. Haven't gotten to hear the new material, but very excited to pick this up.
The Crash Motive (formerly Omnisoul) - Not Giving Up

I think that'll do it for now...expect a singles entry tomorrow. Just to give a peek, popular tracks on my iPod right now include a remix of "Umbrella", Snow Patrol, Sufjian Stevens, and a whole mess o' stuff. Also expect early reaction to the leaked Backstreet Boys album.

==TJ==

New Song from The Killers, Maroon 5 tries to be Sting

OK, so couple of bits coming out today:

-The Killers' have officially released their cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay", which will appear on the soundtrack to the upcoming Joy Division biopic as well as The Killers' rarities and B-Sides album Sawdust. The track is available on iTunes and Ruckus, I will make it available here ASAP.

-Yesterday Maroon 5 debuted the video for their third single off It Won't Be Soon Before Long, "Won't Go Home Without You". It's one of the better songs off the rather overwhelmingly average album, though it definitely reeks of "She Will Be Loved". Two things come to mind as I hear the song/video:

1. Does any other band have a member that looks more out of place than the guitarist (guy on the far right in the video) from Maroon 5? He looks like a cross between Kurt Cobain and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters' drummer), whereas Adam Levine looks like a perpetually angry Justin Timberlake.

2. After watching the video, I realized how not-so-nice the song is. Could this song be this decade's answer to "Every Breath You Take"? Watch the video and you'll see what I mean.



-The Fray put the Reason EP on iTunes today. Reason was a set of 7 songs (including "Vienna" which eventually made it onto How To Save A Life) written and recorded before their debut album was released. Most fans of The Fray have already gotten this EP through illicit means, but at least now the band is trying to capitalize off it.

-I know this has been out for awhile, but I only just heard it a few days ago:

Paramore - My Hero (Foo Fighters cover)

I've been looking to hear some of Paramore's music, but hadn't found a way in til this track. Awesome cover, definitely worth the listen.

Listen for all this stuff and more on the radio show today at 4.

Maroon 5 - Won't Go Home Without You
The Fray - Without Reason

==TJ==

You Have Stolen My Heart...And My Sanity

So I'm on MySpace earlier tonight and I see a bulletin from Dashboard Confessional (or some underling at Vagrant assigned to run Chris Carabba's MySpace page) entitled "Hey Everyone!". Upon opening I find only the following image:





The same image is now the backdrop for Dashboard's official website, their MySpace page, and Vagrant Records' welcome page. Dashboard is prepping for its first solo tour in 5 years and a European tour with Maroon 5 later this year, and is (in theory) still riding the success of 2006's Dusk and Summer. The band has offered no insight as to the meaning of the image, leading fans to suggest three possibilities:

1) New logo for new solo tour (possible; bands do this from time to time to create excuses for more merchandise)
2) New album in the works (unlikely; news of recording new material would have surfaced before now)
3) Chris made some random drawing and is doing the 21st century equivalent of putting it on the fridge to show off to people. (also likely)

Whatever the meaning is, Dashboard had better unveil it quick. I'm spending all my time hunting for clues about Cloverfield, I don't have time to try to unlock what this pic is supposed to get me excited for.

Dashboard Confessional - So Long, So Long

Buying music leads to good karma.

Dashboard on MySpace
Dashboard Confessional Official Website
Vagrant Records
Dashboard on iTunes

==TJ==

EDIT 08.16: Dashboard's official website confirms that on October 2nd Dashboard's new album, The Shade of Poison Trees will be released. In keeping with the upcoming solo tour, most of the album will be just frontman Chris Carabba on acoustic guitar. A low-quality live video of likely first single "Thick As Thieves" is on the MySpace page. AbsolutePunk has the official press release here.

October 2nd is also the release date for Bruce Springsteen's Magic, his most recent effort with the E Street Band, and Exile on Mainstream, the new album from the reformed Matchbox 20. It's official; October will be a glorious month.

Buckcherry Lead Singer: Dennis Leary's Illegitimate Child?

Some quick mini-reviews before I let them sit in my head and die of loneliness:

• Buckcherry's third album 15 is probably one of the best, most enjoyable albums I've listened to in quite some time. I have it on Ruckus, and it's now moved up to the top of my Wanted List. **** 1/2
  
• I haven't quite finished listening to all of It Won't Be Soon Before Long, Maroon 5's new album, but at the rate its going its on pace for a solid ****. Here's hoping "Wake Up Call" is the next single.
• In a follow-up to the Second Spin entry from yesterday, Year Zero is just as trippy as vintage NIN, and it's good enough to warrant a *** 1/2. rating
  
• I just downloaded Chris Cornell's solo album Carry On and I haven't gotten all the way through it yet, but on the strength of just "She'll Never Be Your Man", "Arms Around Your Love", and the angsty "Billie Jean" cover, it's already proven itself to be just as good as Audioslave, and WAY better than Euphoria Morning. ****

Meanwhile, Rage Against the Machine have a countdown clock counting down to August 24th. RATM has been silent on what is going to happen that day, but speculation suggests either a live album from their Coachella performance or perhaps a DVD. [Source: Billboard]

Furthermore, in a recent interview The Who's Pete Townshend declared that the current tour in support of October's Endless Wire will not be the last from The Who. Townshend has said that he has ideas for another album, and is just waiting to find a full band for he and Roger Daltrey to record with.

That's it for now. I'll be back with some housekeeping stuff and some Goo Goo Dolls action later tonight.

==TJ==

PS: In regards to the title. Look at this pic of Buckcherry's singer Josh Todd, then look at this pic of comedian Dennis Leary and decide for yourself.