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10 Track Mind
Sara Ann Kelly, CP reader and CEO of her eponymously named public relations and brand development firm, put her iPod on shuffle. This is where it led her ...
1. "Sunday Morning" — No Doubt
Used to remind me of seventh grade ... now reminds me of road trips with my Lovie
Sexy Time and The Great Indoors columnist Meg Augustin put her iPod on shuffle. This is where it let her ...
1. “Same In Any Language” — My Morning Jacket
This My Morning Jacket song was recorded for the Elizabethtown soundtrack under the fictional band “Ruckus,” which is featured in the film. As such, this is a MMJ masterpiece that is little-known to those who didn’t suffer through the movie. “Same in Any Language” brings the band back to their Southern-rock roots with a mix of Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque ballads, bluegrass folk and MMJ’s signature guitar solos. Simply beautiful.
CP contributor Chris Brown put his iPod on shuffle. This is where it led him ...
1. "I Am Ahab" — Mastodon
In hindsight, the guys in Mastodon may have shot themselves in the foot by releasing so many high-level concept albums on the heels of one another. Then again, no one could have predicted The Hunter would have been such a massive letdown. Fortunately, this song is from Leviathan, which is anything but a downer. It's a musical interpretation of Herman Melville's Moby Dick, which is as awesome as it sounds.
City Paper intern Courtney Sexton put her iPod on shuffle. This is where it led her ...
Intern Dylan Williams put his iPod on shuffle. This is where it led him ...
1. Anaïs Mitchell — “Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls”
I discovered this indie-folk tune from the iTunes library of one of the photo labs at my high school. Since then it has become my anthem. It is beautiful and soul-wrenching and glorious, and the lyrics are pure poetry (EXA). One of the best chill songs I know.
2. Nash Ensemble — “Shostakovich Piano Trio #2, IV. Allegretto”
If you’re going to listen to only one classical composer, forget Mozart, Bach, or Beethoven — it had better be Shostakovich. The most prominent Soviet composer working under the yoke of censorship during the 1930s, Shostie composed a number of important works, including the Soviet National Anthem, a few great symphonies, and one fantastic and infamously difficult cello concerto. In this, his hauntingly beautiful second piano trio, the composer shows off his partiality to the ironically manic. Listen to the movements in order (and, just between the two of us, listen to the “Stern, Ma, & Ax” recording).
3. Sarah Silverman — “Give the Jew Girl Toys”
I don’t care what well-respected critics say, Sarah Silverman is one of the funniest women on TV. Her standup comedy, characterized by gut-wrenching raunchiness and general in-your-effing-face demeanor, translates seamlessly into song in this, one of the ballads from her movie Jesus Is Magic, in which she lambastes Santa Claus for his extensive history anti-Jewish bigotry. Other favorites include “I Love You More” and “The Porn Song”.
4. The Noisettes — “Never Forget You”
This British soul-pop fusion band is great because it sates my desire for both classic Motown and indie Brit-rock. The lead singer, Shingai Shoniwa, is one of the most fashionable ladies in the business, and her doubling as the band’s bassist makes me love her even more. This track, the most R&B-ish in their set, always makes me feel good. Listen on a rainy day.
Fashion Cents columnist Grace Ortelre put her iPod on shuffle. This is where it led her ...
1. "Save Tonight" — Eagle-Eye Cherry
I can tell this is going to be an embarrassing endeavor — already my secret collection of '90s music has surfaced. This song reminds me of past summer flings that have come to an abrupt end just around this time of year. I can relate to that feeling of the one last night together, delaying misery over a bottle of wine before daylight comes. The singer was named Eagle-Eye because the first time he looked at his father he did so with only one eye open.
2. "Who Are You Now" — Lupe Fiasco ft. B.O.B.
Lupe didn’t get the best feedback on his recent album Lasers, and I’ve heard people argue this song should have gone on the album with others like “The Show Goes On.” I appreciate the song’s attempt to address issues of women being shaped by the media, but it’s just not my favorite.
3. "John" — Lil’ Wayne ft. Rick Ross
I’ve been borderline obsessed with Lil’ Wayne since maybe 2006 — to the point that a friend and I made plans to start a non-profit benefiting the Holly Grove projects in New Orleans, where Weezy was born and raised, in the hope that we could somehow use that to meet him (and, of course, to help people and all). Now, if you turn on the radio, Lil’ Wayne will be featured in three out of five songs. But you won’t hear much of his newer rock-inspired tracks like "Prom Queen," which helps us understand why rappers should never try to sing. “John” at least shows he might still be trying. Weezy, if you’re reading this, please release a new mixtape! And call me ...
4. "Northeast" — Matt & Kim
Matt, on vocals and keyboard, and Kim, on drums, comprise both an awesome couple and punk duo. This particular song invokes nostalgia somewhere between images of a snowy Boston campus and a grimy New York City alley. It also stirs up a sense of loneliness combined with a connection to everything in the world. Typical of Matt & Kim songs, the lyrics don’t make sense but the emotions do.
CP reporter Matt Cantor set his iPod to shuffle. This is where it led him ...
1. Sufjan Stevens – “The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders…” This guy never ceases to amaze me. His songs are both highly innovative — not quite like anything else out there — and at the same time incredibly accessible. On top of that, despite its bright, upbeat melodies, this album is shot through with a vague but powerful sense of sadness.
2. The Beatles – “Two of Us” On my all-time favorite song list. It’s apparently a song by Paul about his wife, but it absolutely sounds like John and Paul are singing about each other. That’s all the more heartbreaking because it was recorded at a time when the Beatles were en route to breakup. I read somewhere once that John couldn’t make it through the tune without crying.
3. Radiohead – “Everything in Its Right Place” It’s only about a decade old, but it already feels like a classic. On albums like OK Computer, Radiohead established themselves in the “rock genius” category with complex, multilayered instrumentation. The first track on Kid A is almost more impressive, though, because it achieves a unique sound with nothing more than a repeated keyboard pattern.
Intern Brian Wilensky set his iPod to shuffle. This is where it led him ...
1. The Mothers of Invention — “Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance”
There was a time when all I wanted in life was to play in a band that rivaled the weirdness of even the lesser-weird Zappa songs. I’d throw this one in the lesser-weird pile. Maybe that’s why it sort of makes me want to dance.
2. Frank Zappa — “While You Were Art II”
Frank, the genius composer, can do whatever he wants. Even if it sounds like random '80s synthesizer noise. But it isn’t noise, dammit. Frank transcribed and programmed his guitar solo and other accompaniment from “While You Were Out,” on Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar into a Synclavier synth and made it into a classical piece for Jazz from Hell. Sounds easy enough, right?
3. The Cramps — “Domino”
You won’t even know you’re doing it, but one of the natural effects of this song — and most Cramps' songs — is that it’ll put you in your power stance without even knowing it. There aren’t any frills here, just a heavy rock tune from the psycho-billy originators and Lux Interior telling a story about a “real gone guy” named Domino.
4. Trey Anastasio — “Vultures”
This one’s from Trey’s album with his good buddy Tom Marshall, Trampled by Lambs and Pecked by the Dove. It could be the theme song for every time you gently plopped a pebble into an untouched pond in the middle of the woods in the northeastern U.S. And then you exhale and pass it to the left.
5. Charlie Parker — “Klactoveesedstene”
How am I supposed to say something about a song I have such a hard time pronouncing? It bops, it swings, Miles Davis plays on it and it can bring Grandpa back to the good ol’ days when radios were a piece of furniture.
6. Frank Zappa — “But Who Was Fulcanelli?”
Oh, that’s just Frank, he likes to play guitar solos and this one sort of topples and trips over itself all the way to the finish line. But I bet it made sense in Frank’s head. It’s from Guitar, a compilation album by Frank that’s nothing but excerpts of his extended guitar jams. That may sound a little self-absorbed, but you’d release this album, too, if your guitar chops could even hold a candle to Frank’s.
CP reporter Andy Polhamus set his iPod to shuffle. This is where it led him ...
1. Stiff Little Fingers – “Barbed Wire Love” This punk classic is a tongue-in-cheek love song about a romance that occurs on the battlefield. Whether it’s heterosexual or not is up to you, but the line “the device in your pants was out of sight” should serve as a hint.
2. Bouncing Souls – “K8 Is Great” While listening to this song, I realized that my high school ska band accidentally stole the chords from at least four Bouncing Souls songs when I was 15. Woops. But it’s appropriate, really; "K8 Is Great" is a ‘90s anthem about growing up and falling in line.
3. Ann Beretta - “Not Invited” From the Richmond, Va. pop punk outfit’s final album, Not Invited is sort of a poor man’s “Sugar, We’re Going Down.” And I mean that in the best possible way. Ann Beretta walked the line between the emo-influenced punk that overtook the alternative charts in the early 2000s and its more straightforward cousin from fifteen years ago way before Fall Out Boy ruined it for everybody.
4. Weather Report – “Teen Town” From the seminal jazz fusion album Heavy Weather comes a sax- and bass-driven instrumental that’s half Sanford and Son, half bong hit. And any Weather Report fan will tell you that this is perfect driving music. Try it on your way home from work today, sans bong.
CP's Darren Ankrom put his iPod on shuffle. This is where it led him.
1. Coldplay featuring Jay-Z – “Lost!” Already a great song in its own right, “Lost” is made even better with the addition of Jay-Z. If you listen closely, Jay is making a strong point — he uses musical (Biggie and Pac) and conveniently rhyming historical (Jesus, Judas, Caesar, Brutus) examples to prove that, “If you succeed, prepare to be crucified.”
2. The Doors – “Alabama Song” In a 1970 performance taped in Detroit, The Doors take the audience on a brief, carnival-like jaunt. “Alabama Song” is actually a cover, first performed in a German opera from 1927. Given lead singer Jim Morrison’s extensive knowledge of performance history, it’s no surprise this song popped back up with The Doors.
3. Drake – “Best I Ever Had” His first hit, the one that single-handedly launched him into stardom, is surprisingly romantic given popular themes in today’s rap. I’m willing to bet it’s also synonymous with freshman year for most 2012 college graduates — I don’t think I attended a party that year without hearing this one.
4. Blink–182 “Dumpweed” From their live The Mark Tom and Travis Show album, Blink delivers a high-energy performance that manages to drown out the many screams of love-struck teenage girls. Not an easy feat. Judging by their dialogue with the crowd at the end of the track, it amazes me how much Tom in particular has grown up since then.
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