Scott and Willie's MP3 Picks

It's 2007 as I write this, and the people have spoken: you don't just want descriptions of songs- you want the songs themselves! Very well. For the forseeable future, Scott Floman (of the excellent Scott's Rock and Soul Album Reviews) and I will be hand-picking, uploading, and describing tasty tracks to spice up your iPod's otherwise bland playlists. As with the late, lamented "Song of the Day" feature, if you have any suggestions of your own, shoot me an e-mail with a description and I'll download it and share it with Scott. If we like it, it'll find its way into the list with your name and song description! If that deal sounds sufficiently sweet, we invite you to read, download, and enjoy! Please see the copyright notice below if you're concerned about such things.

Willie's Pick #29: Weddings Parties Anything: "A Tale They Won't Believe" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Just your typical seven-minute Aussie folk-rock tale of murder and cannibalism. From The Big Don't Argue.
Scott's comments: Sometimes a simple sentence sums up a song perfectly, so I won't add much other than to say that if you like this song (and I do), then you should also give Bruce Springsteen's albums with the Seger Sessions Band a chance.

Scott's Pick #29: Blur- "You're So Great" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This very atypical Blur track is nevertheless one of the band’s best. Written by guitarist Graham Coxon and sung by him in a charmingly naive manner, this song adopts a deliberately lo-fi approach, as this British band was then influenced by American bands like Guided By Voices and Sebadoh. There’s a fragile simplicity to this song that I find extremely affecting, and when Graham sings the “you’re so great and I love you” punch line it gets me in the gut every time.
Willie's comments: I hadn't realized this was a Coxon song despite having loved it since I was in high school. Guess that's because the song is half-buried beneath artificial tape hiss. (I clearly remember the Entertainment Weekly review in which Tom Sinclair pointed out that it was pretty funny that Blur was cribbing from GbV given Robert Pollard's obsession with approximating British rock.) Just a sweet, simple pop song. It's from Blur's self-titled album, which the savvy consumer should be able to find on eBay or Amazon for under a dollar. It's well worth it.

Willie's Pick #28: The Tragically Hip: "Courage" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Since that Dream Syndicate song reminded me so much of Tragically Hip, I thought I'd put forth my favorite track of theirs. On the politely rollicking "Courage," Gord Downie could almost pass for Michael Stipe, though with a touch more humility in both lyric and tone. (He is Canadian, after all, buddy.) From Fully Completely, though I discovered it through its prominent role in Atom Egoyan's excellent bummer of a film The Sweet Hereafter.
Scott's comments: I agree about the Stipe comparison, but Stipe's voice is more mysterious and charsmatic, and honestly I don't hear any similarities to the Dream Syndicate song at all. This is still a good little jangle rocker, though, from an underrated band. The second half, when the energy level picks up and the guitar solo somes in, is particularly appealing.

Scott's Pick #28: Dream Syndicate: "Halloween" (live) (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This guitarfest could accurately be described as "The Velvet Underground meets Neil Young and Crazy Horse," and it's quite the exciting 6-minute epic. Oddly enough, though Steve Wynn wrote the majority of the band's songs, this particular song, which I consider to be the band's best, was written by original guitarist Karl Precoda. It originally appeared on their classic The Days Of Wine and Roses album, but this even better live version was recorded later (with guitarist Paul Cutler instead of Precoda) and appears on their Complete Live At Raji's album.
Willie's comments: Yeah, I can't imagine the studio version having anywhere near this level of crescendoing spontaneity. I particularly love the scribbly noise solo Cutler busts out two minutes in, but the whole thing just builds and builds, from a crisp jangle-drone to a certifiable frenzy, complete with David Byrne-style nonsense yelping from Wynn. The Velvets-and-Neil-Young comparison is apt, and as such it reminds me a lot of the Tragically Hip. By the way, gentle reader: Do not get Dream Syndicate confused with Dream Theater like I did this week. They're... different.

Willie's Pick #27: Haysi Fantayzee- "Shiny Shiny" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: To call it "new wave ragtime" captures the intentional quirk, but won't prepare you for the full expanse of hooky silliness on this early '80s ode to the shenanigans you can get up to in a properly-equipped recording studio. Jeremiah Healy barks like a loopy ringmaster, Kate Garner backs him up with overpowering enthusiasm, and the instrumentation includes synth-banjos and a spoon solo. It's fun. From Battle Hymns for Children Singing.
Scott's comments: This is a weird one! I'm not sure if it's the catchiest song ever or the most annoying, maybe it's a bit of both, but ultimately I find it more endearing than annoying. It sounds like the wacky offspring of the B52's crossed with ABBA but lacks the professionalism of either of those bands. Or something like that, this song is pretty unclassifiable, and it is fun - provided that you're in a goofy upbeat mood.

Scott's Pick #27: Archers of Loaf- "Fabricoh" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: There were many good '90s "indie" bands that are semi-forgotten today, and Archers Of Loaf are one such band. Vee Vee's "Fabricoh" shows the band at their most anthemic and rocking, and it shows their talent for being noisily dissonant yet undeniably tuneful at the same time. The hoarse shouts of singer Eric Bachmann certainly aren't pretty, but they're not supposed to be, and when he and his bandmates are "rocking out" this song delivers a thrilling rush of adrenaline.
Willie's comments: This is why the ol' Loaf unfortunately never made a splash beyond college radio after their great-but-goofy single "Web in Front" got them some Beavis and Butt-Head exposure. Their clattering guitar work always boasted the precision of a gummed-up bowling alley claw machine, and Bachmann's scratchy vocalizing put the lie to hundreds of pseudo-"edgy" alt-rock singers like Gavin Rossdale and Billie Joe Armstrong with its genuine note-free obnoxiousness. Somehow, it does all coagulate into a clamorous anthem, but with none of the Butch Vig-style polishing that was commonplace in the mid-'90s, songs like "Fabricoh" were--and still are--surprisingly raw. (These are all compliments, I should note.)

Willie's Pick #26: Pan American- "Code" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Desolate vocals (backward-masked to sound extra-distant), several tracks of interlocking, clinking percussion, and soft-focus keyboards add up to an eerie ambient-pop dream on this subtly moving piece. For some reason, this song sounds to me like it should be the soundtrack to a crappy anime montage where the hero is trudging through a lengthy series of lifeless natural locales. Thankfully, it isn't. Rather, it's from Pan American's enjoyable album 360 Business/360 Bypass.
Scott's comments: This is definitely a "mood piece" that probably works best as background music, which I suppose can be said about ambient music on the whole. Not sure about your soundtrack image, as this song makes me want to "chill out" and not do a heck of a lot of anything. I wouldn't call it great or anything, but it certainly is nice, and on second thought I agree that Brett Dennan's vocal affectations (see previous pick) do grow a bit grating, though I still like the song on the whole.

Scott's Pick #26: Brett Dennen- "She's Mine" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: I don’t know much about Brett Dennen; I discovered this song on a compilation called 90.7 Spring 2007 New Music Sampler, which is distributed by Fordham University’s WFUV radio station upon receiving a donation (the radio station is well worth supporting, BTW). Anyway, I found this song immediately charming and disarming, being a simple Paul Simon-ish pop gem with an easily singable, falsetto-enhanced chorus. Sometimes simplicity works best, and “She’s Mine” is a prime example of that.
Willie's comments: I can't say I'm won over by the David Gray-style vocal affectations, but it's got a nice, inoffensive melody. I think my dad and brother, who are both fans of this sort of neo-Paul Simon alt-folk-pop-whatever, would enjoy this a lot. The xylophone makes me happy, too. Seems it was originally on an album called So Much More.

Willie's Pick #25: Calexico- "Crooked Road and the Briar" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: On the surface, there's nothing particularly sinister about "Crooked Road and the Briar": with its muscular indie-rock guitars and memorably twiny melody, it sounds like a high-quality slice of Neil Young worship. Once Joey Burns's lyrics grab your ear, though--a horrifically open-ended tale of child murder and lynching in the deep South--every element in the song takes on a shadowy grime that creeped me out so much I had to listen to it about ten times in a row in the futile hope of divining the solution to its mystery. Ignore the extraneous 45-second intro and you've got one of the most chilling murder ballads in contemporary rock. From the Even My Sure Things Fall Through EP.
Scott's comments: This is a song that requires a few listens, preferably with close attention paid to the lyrics, before a full appreciation is gained. That’s the way it was for me, anyway, but I agree that once you get to know it, this creepy “murder song” is indeed tough to shake.

Scott's Pick #25: Terry Callier- "Lean on Me" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: No, this is not the hit song from the also underrated but far more commercially successful Bill Withers, but is an entirely different composition from the talented cult artist Terry Callier. Hammond organ and piano set the stage, and those ethereal harmonies sure are haunting, but it's Callier's vocal-for-the-ages that really makes this song special. I dig the inspiring lyrics, too (somebody make this your wedding song ASAP!), but again it's Callier's passionate vocal that provides the icing on the cake. Simply put, this epic-scale track, which highlights his superb Occasional Rain album, is a "lost classic" that I'd rank among the best soul songs ever.
Willie's comments: This would be a long song to have to keep nervously swaying to in front of everyone at your wedding, I have to think. (Of course, my wife and I didn't even dance the whole way through the Magnetic Fields' three-minute "The Book of Love" at our wedding, so it may be that I am merely an antsy, antsy man.) You're right on as far as the sentiment goes, though; it's one of those incredibly generous soul numbers whose deeply-felt optimism slowly engulfs you until you start to believe it.

Willie's Pick #24: Supergrass- "20 ft. Halo" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Matching the swagger and tunefulness of every British rock movement since the original invasion, Supergrass are such a purely listenable band that even the deepest corners of their discography are full of smirky pop treasures like this one. I love the ambulatory bass especially, but the element that totally makes this song for me is the tremolo they keep sticking on Gaz Coombes's voice for a single word in the middle of the line "I'm gonna wear it out with my life." It's such a wonderfully useless little psychedelic flourish, embodying the goofy playfulness that makes each of their first four albums such lighthearted pleasures. I think this song was originally a B-side to "Richard III," but I have it on the bonus disc that came with the initial pressing of In It for the Money.
Scott's comments: I agree, Supergrass were kind of overlooked during the heyday of "Britpop," but they've outlasted most of their more lauded contemporaries, and listening to them is usually a fun proposition. I'd never heard this song before, and it is a neat little psychedelic pop nugget. Loosely shambolic yet not too loose, largely propelled by those funky basslines you mentioned, it's the weirdly catchy "I'm lost in the halo" chorus that cliches this one as a winner for me. Good pick.

Scott's Pick #24: Thin Lizzy- "Emerald" (live) (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Among the most metallic offerings from one of my favorite bands, “Emerald” contains all the classic Thin Lizzy trademarks: melodic dual guitars, often in harmony, from Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, macho outlaw lyrics and soulful lead vocals from bass player and primary songwriter Phil Lynott, and pounding tribal beats from underrated drummer Brian Downey. Of course, the song’s main calling card is the extended guitar duel that closes out this overlooked classic; it’s a scorcher! Originally on Jailbreak, this arguably superior live version is from Live and Dangerous.
Willie's comments: The guitarists certainly do seem to be having a good time making a racket with one another! I sort of wish there were more actual song to this song, since Lynott's half-swallowed, guttural vocals disappear all too quickly, but I suppose when you've got Gorham and Robertson all amped up in a live setting, you want to get out of their way as quickly as possible. (And as long as we're on the topic of guitar wankery, this redubbed video of Santana and his band jamming is the funniest thing in human history.)

Willie's Pick #23: Grim Reaper- "See You in Hell" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: (Thanks to Tim and Jess.) This olde British metal song could conceivably be a parody from the likes of the Electric Six or Ween, right down to Steve Grimmett's no-need-for-consonants falsetto howling, "Can I make you an offer you caaaaaaaa raaaaaaaaa?" but although it's impossible to take seriously at this late date, it remains a catchier song than any you'll hear from, say, Daughtry. So I suggest tempering your giggles with a measure of grudging admiration for this song's anthemic, half-tempo chorus and for its ability to have horrified overprotective Catholic moms back in the '80s. From See You in Hell.
Scott's comments: LOL, I totally remember seeing the video for "See You In Hell" on U68, an off the beaten path TV station that played cheesy hard rock back when I was a teenager (junior high school I think, mid-80s; anybody else out there remember U68?). So hearing this song again is a fun blast from the past for me! Nice write up, too. "Great silly fun" is how I'd describe this headbanging tune.

READER Pick #1: Focus- "Hocus Pocus" (Right-click to download.)
Reader Mike K.'s comments: This is essentially a riff-based excuse for wanking, but a surprisingly entertaining one; the main riff it's based around is pretty catchy, and they actually give as much time to ridiculous yodeling, whistling, and scat sections as they do guitar solos and drum breaks. I'm also going to recommend linking to this manic 70's variety performance (played at about twice the speed of the album version).
Scott's comments: What more can I say? I’ve always loved this wacky yet rocking song, and this youtube clip is phenomenal (in fact, I almost chose it as my youtube clip instead of Vanilla Fudge a few picks back). Thijs Van Leer's yodely vocals are outrageously silly but a heck of a lot of fun, and this group could flat-out jam, in particular drummer Pierre van der Linden and guitarist Jan Akkerman.
Willie's comments: Wow! It's like if Jon Anderson had Gibby Haynes's (or anyone's) sense of humor! This is really cool, and it's from the album Moving Waves.

Scott's Pick #23: Spiritual Beggars- "Escaping the Fools" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Chris and I were discussing our MP3 picks, and it occurred to us that we were a bit thin on hard rock recommendations and newer stuff (actually only I’m guilty of the latter charge). So here’s a hard rocking track from not that long ago (2000, to be exact) by a quite good band who aren’t exactly a household name. Classify this as “stoner rock” or “grunge” or whatever, this is just good stuff to me; the song is also quite poppy in places, after all. I dig those big twisting riffs, the singer’s nasty attitude, the drummer’s jackhammer beats, and most of all the song’s melodic, singable chorus. The song builds and builds, propelled by its powerful, driving rhythms, and when it finally climaxes with a suitably epic guitar solo I can only shake my head in satisfaction. From Ad Astra.
Willie's comments: I'm really surprised this is only eight years old! It sounds to me like the sort of late-'80s metal that would've been on one of the Bill & Ted or Wayne's World movie soundtracks. (Of course, I know very little about the metal genre. For some reason, this song reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," which... I kind of like a little. So I urge you to disregard my opinion.) At five and a half minutes, it's a bit long for my tastes, but it's nice and tuneful, and besides, it's very charming to hear a band attacking their songs with this sort of grinding sincerity at this late date in rock history.

Willie's Pick #22: Henry Badowski- "Henry's in Love" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: (Thanks to Fflo.) Fans of the Lightning Seeds, David Bowie at his cheekiest, or Andy Partridge's Fuzzy Warbles cast-offs should be in their glory with this song. Over a sprightly Casio backing, Badowski narrates adorably silly descriptions of his besotted self, in the third person: "Henry finds himself at one with the Big Henry in the sky." And who doesn't love a guy who can have a good-natured laugh at himself? From the very cool album Life is a Grand... which really deserves to be reissued and rediscovered.
Scott's comments: This is a charming little song. I like the toe tapping beats, the integration of the sultry sax within the soothing synth-heavy melody, and of course Henry's amusing, self-referencing lyrics, which are sung in a somewhat deadpan yet effective manner. I'm not sure that I'd be interested in hearing a whole album's worth of similarly cute songs, but I certainly enjoyed listening to this one.

Scott's Pick #22: Arthur Alexander- "Dream Girl" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Best known for writing songs covered by others (The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, for starters), Arthur Alexander's own catalogue is well worth getting to know, and this sumptuous, doo-woppy soul ballad is one of my favorites. Teen longing and fantasy-based romanticism has rarely sprung so vividly to life, and Alexander's vocal is restrained yet right. I love those female 'dreamgirl' backing vocals on the outro, and my only complaint is that Alexander strangely says 'I will always be my dream girl' rather than 'you will always be my dream girl' on the last line, which is a bit of a head scratcher. This song can be found on his The Greatest compilation.
Willie's comments: This one doesn't do much for me, pleasant as it is. Alexander does bring more emotion to his vocals than a lot of squarer doo-woppers did, but it strikes me as such a narrow genre that "Dream Girl" would have to do something really remarkable to stand out, and it doesn't. Of course, the list of doo-wop I'm fond of doesn't extend much beyond The Penguins' "Earth Angel," Frank Zappa's Cruising with Ruben & the Jets album, and the Meat Puppets' cover of "White Sport Coat," so I blame my own closed-mindedness here.

Willie's Pick #21: Jonathan King- "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Spats Ransom turned me on to this song some months back, and I don't think I've stopped humming it since. Jonathan King, like Phil Spector and Joe Meek, is one of those compulsively fussy pop producers who manages to somehow sublimate a wide misanthropic streak into timelessly beautiful soundscapes (when not in jail, of course). This song evokes the sounds of skipping gleefully through an abandoned space-age dystopia, his vocals ringing with the sort of unself-conscious joy that only sees the light of day when no one else is around. It's gorgeous. As far as I know, this was originally just a single, but it's available on lots of King compilations.
Scott's comments: First of all, we haven't spent nearly enough time talking about what a great name Spats Ransom is :) Secondly: This is a gorgeous song, only rather than an abandoned space-age dystopia my visual is of a guy on a tropical island, fancy cocktail in hand, hammock nearby, joyously singing out loud to himself, or perhaps to a beautiful young lady who dotes on his every word. This song brings paradise to mind, in other words, and the Meek and Spector comparisons are definitely apt, as the layered, unconventional instrumentation makes this impeccably lush sounding song seem fresh and new even after multiple listens. A "lost classic" for sure, great pick!

Scott's Pick #21: Paul Pena- "Gonna Move" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This song has a great groove that always manages to put a bounce in my step. Singing along to the admittedly simplistic chorus is a must, the guitar solo is short and impeccably tasty, just like everything else, and "Gonna Move" just has an uplifting overall vibe that makes me feel good. Not bad for a blind guy whose fine album from which this song originates, New Train, went unreleased for almost 30 years.
Willie's comments: You're really good at picking out these upbeat, soulful numbers, my friend. I tend not to seek this sort of song out because my worldview and demeanor are more sympathetic to Radiohead-style fatalism, but I'm always pleased when you send them along. "Gonna Move" is an especially inspiring ode to getting the hell out of Dodge. The rhythm (and rhythm guitar in particular) unavoidably reminds me of Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years," but that's not intrinsically bad. It's hard to believe any label would let this sit on the shelf for so long!

Willie's Pick #20: Yo La Tengo- "Sugarcube" (Left-click for this one; it's not an MP3, but rather a YouTube video.)
Willie's comments: Combine two of my very favorite things in the world, Yo La Tengo and Mr. Show, and you get this clip from YLT's I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, starring Bob Odenkirk and David Cross (along with some little-noted but great bluster from John Ennis as the record company exec). Probably my favorite video of all time.
Scott's comments: Great, hilarious video. My favorite parts:
“Young band, you are going to rock school!”
“If you want to learn how to write rock lyrics, you must learn where the hobbits dwell”
The Foghat rule
“Ira, get down”
Lou Reed posted segueing into the rock star acrobatics
Reading the “Closer To The Heart” lyrics – this part almost made me cry from laughter
2:12 – 2:22
“I envy you. So much rocking to do”

Scott's Pick #20: Vanilla Fudge- "You Keep Me Hanging On" (Left-click for this one; it's not an MP3, but rather a YouTube video from The Ed Sullivan Show.)
Scott's comments: Things to look out for:
The histrionics of the keyboardist/singer are hilarious.
The colors of their outfits and the stage set - pretty obvious that this is from the late '60s, no?
The drummer is AWESOME.
Willie's comments: The frontman reminds me of Ricky Gervais's character on the original series of The Office. It's a fun, Hendrix-inspired interpretation of this song (if perhaps not exactly as soulful as the band would have us believe), and the band is a gas to watch. Great find!

Willie's Pick #19: Godzuki- "Auto-Haze" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: These Detroit indie-rockers were a hot item among local hipsters when I was in high school, but I'm not sure if they ever made a mark elsewhere. I certainly hope so, if only on the strength of this clattering, lopsided contraption. The bass staggers around as though it's drunkenly trying to find its way home from Green Day's "Longview," while assorted permutations of guitars hack and nibble away at it indiscriminately. Only Erika Hoffman's full-throated, kicky vocals keep "Auto-Haze" from falling apart completely, instead turning it into a cheerfully wild pop oddity that wouldn't have sounded out-of-place among Matador Records' adventurous mid-'90s roster. From Trail of the Lonesome Pine.
Scott's comments: Yeah, I like those edgy guitars, the jumpy bass and jackhammer beats too. After the music-only intro I was a bit surprised to hear a girl singer join in (guess I should've read your description beforehand!), but I got used to her soon enough. Still, her sweet, poppy vocals seem an odd contrast to the raw, hyper, flat-out rocking music thrashing about behind her, but that only makes the song more interesting I suppose. We critics eat up such juxtapositions, after all, don't we? This one gets a definite thumbs up.

Scott's Pick #19: Buena Vista Social Club- "Chan Chan" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: When my first son Jake was a little baby, there were times when he would cry and I just couldn’t get him to stop no matter how hard I tried. This was disappointing and frustrating, but I soon found a foolproof solution: playing this song, which always soothed my son. Needless to say I’ve loved it ever since, and I hope you like it as well. From the justifiably acclaimed Buena Vista Social Club album featuring older local Cuban musicians along with guitarist Ry Cooder.
Willie's comments: Ol' Jake's got some good taste! (Far better than my brother, who, as I've told you, gravitated similarly toward Hall & Oates's "One on One" as an infant.) I adore this number. Its core consists of nothing more than four repeated chords that provide a warm, comfortable practice space in which the players can expertly maneuver around one another, as when the tempered bliss of the harmonies moves aside to make room for an ecstatic trumpet, all without upsetting the song's familiar charm.

Willie's Pick #18: Worm is Green- "The Robot Has Got the Blues" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Trip-hop without the "hop," this Icelandic band goes a long way toward capturing the crystalline gloom of their countrymen Sigur Ros, though without the wrenching emotional extremes. What's left is appealingly smoky rainy-day music. Beyond the silken vocals of Gudridur Ringsted, the great draw of this song is the staticky repeated keyboard sample that keeps popping up, like an automatic transmission from a long-unpopulated space station. From their sublime album Automagic, which I highly recommend for fans of Hooverphonic or Denali.
Scott's comments: Excellent description, I especially like the "long-unpopulated space station" image, which fits the music once you've heard it. I have nothing else to add except that I can't vouch for their album being sublime since I've never heard it. I definitely want to now, though; this is a cool song.

Scott's Pick #18: Mercury Rev- "Meth of a Rockette's Kick" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This wonderfully chaotic tune throws together gorgeous flute, swirling guitar noise, piano, French horns, trombones, and airily chanted vocals, yet somehow it all works. The song begins with delicate strings and woodwinds before cute “bop bop bop” backing vocals join in. The main vocals are odd and difficult to decipher, but then again it’s the wash of majestic sounds that really matter. The first guitar explosion comes at 1:45 but things soon settle down again. A lone trumpet cries out; I think that’s a trumpet, anyway. The weird voices kick in again, and now the song is discernibly building to something bigger. The hooky “make it connect” chorus all but demands you to sing along, the drums take it up another notch, and then it’s wailing, distorted guitar solo time; damn I love that part! At near the 5-minute mark the massive sound gets ear-splittingly loud, but I still can’t stop humming those blissful “bop bop bops” buzzing about in the background. At around the 6 ½ minute mark the song mellows out again, but by then I’m drained, anyway. Finally, soon all sorts of carnival-esque noises come in, ultimately taking this brilliant song to a satisfyingly joyous conclusion. Also, damn it if I know what they’re saying, but I love those childish Sly & the Family Stone-styled backing voices there at the end as well. And though this song is a bit of a mess, with seemingly unrelated noises flying at you from all over the place, ultimately it’s a gloriously uplifting mess, as the band’s chaotic everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach delivers truly mind-boggling vistas of sound. For my money this 10 ½ minute epic, which leads off the band’s second album, Boces, is one of the greatest songs of the ‘90s.
Willie's comments: ...And for my money, this is one of the only times Mercury Rev has successfully managed to outdo their cousins, The Flaming Lips, in the game of acid-cartoon rock. (It's closer to what the Boredoms would sound like if they weren't so interested in pissing on the notion of song structures.) I don't have much to add to your description, except to say that it might be overly reductive to describe this overflowing stewpot as just one mess.

Willie's Pick #17: White Noise- "Love Without Sound" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Though White Noise had more patience for manual tape-splicing and experimental effects than nearly all of their late-'60s contemporaries put together, they also showed an impressive ability to stop on a dime when such pursuits endangered their songwriting. Thus, splattering percussion takes over midway through this song, but the unusually-scaled melody takes the reins once more just as the spell is about to be broken. For my tastes, it's a nifty trick pulled off at least as assuredly as their more famous fellow explorers Can and Frank Zappa likely would've. From An Electric Storm.
Scott's comments: I can see how this song would be totally up your alley. I've never heard of these guys before, pretty far out! That's "far out" as in "cool," not "far out" is in "what the hell is this?" weird. It definitely sounds of its era (1968), and the vocals aren't forceful or technically great by any means, but the whole track exudes a whacked out character that makes me keep returning to it, if for no other reason than to find some interesting sound effects that I may have previously missed.

Scott's Pick #17: Zombies- "Whenever You're Ready" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: It's good to see the respect that The Zombies have received in recent years, particularly for their magisterial album of baroque pop, 1968's Odessey and Oracle. Though unfortunately short-lived, The Zombies were a great band, as they had quite a few stellar singles even ouside of Odessey and Oracle, few better than this low-key gem. Right away we're introduced to the primary assets of the band, namely Rod Argent's hauntingly moody keyboards and Colin Blunstone's breathy vocals. The supportive rhythm section kicks in at just the right times, and they knew how to write a hooky tune, too, with catchy harmonized choruses being another band specialty. Perhaps this song's late night vibe prevented it from being a hit, but it definitely should've been one. This song is available on The Singles A's & B's and other Zombies compilations. (You can read Scott's Zombies reviews here.)
Willie's comments: The apparent pleasures of Odessey and Oracle have always eluded me- it's not bad, but it didn't change my life the way CosmicBen said it would either- but I do like this single. The almost physical way Blunstone puts himself into his singing almost makes this a candidate for the "soul" section of the popular music pantheon rather than the "pop/rock" section. That's the big appeal for me, but as you said, it's hard to deny those keys or those harmonies. It doesn't brain you with memorability the way "She's Not There" did, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a lesser song.

Willie's Pick #16: Punkles- "Run for Your Life" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Since you and I seem to be on a punk kick lately, I thought I'd share this nifty little bruise. My dad can vouch for me on this: ever since I first heard the Beatles' "Run for Your Life," I've been saying that, despite my general opposition to Beatles covers, someone should take that song and rough it up, because as great as the Rubber Soul version is, it doesn't quite fulfill its obsessive svengali potential. Enter Germany's Punkles, a surprisingly creative Ramones-style Beatles cover band. The tooth-grinding viciousness of the original is retained here, but... well, it's a cliche, but louder and faster, and therefore better! The Dee Dee-inspired backing vocals are a particular highlight. This was originally a B-side on the Drive My Car EP, but it's also on the 1998-2003 compilation. (You can read Mark Prindle's reviews of the Punkles here.)
Scott's comments: This is indeed a fast, fun, punked up cover version, though I'd dispute that the previous Dictators' song was punk at all and I've never thought that this was a great Beatles song in the first place (though of course like every song on Rubber Soul it is certainly good). And I may have won the vocab battle the last time out, but once again you win the super short song battle (1:37)!

Scott's Pick #16: Dictators- "No Tomorrow" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: My favorite song from my favorite Dictators album, Bloodbrothers (though the cool pick among the hipster cognoscenti is their also-cool debut Go Girl Crazy!), “No Tomorrow” has amusing outcast lyrics and a catchy sing along chorus similar to what Van Halen would become known for. My favorite part is the Ross Friedman (a.k.a. Ross Funicello or Ross The Boss, later of Manowar!) guitar solo, which flawlessly builds and builds; the drums kick in at just the right times, both instruments pick up a full head of steam together, and then Ross unleashes some ultra-melodic high pitched squeals that perfectly lead into another chorus that again you just can’t help but sing along to. It may not be overwhelming from a technical standpoint, but its perfect construction makes it one of my all-time favorite guitar solos, and the rest of the song is damn stellar too. (You can read Scott's Dictators reviews here.)
Willie's comments: I suspect it's kind of shameful that I've never gotten to know these guys, especially since I dig this song so much. It's like the Sex Pistols' swaggering sputum crossed with Joey Ramone's amicability! (The titular hook almost sounds like a gloss on Johnny Rotten's "No future!" from "God Save the Queen.") Though I can't match your enthusiasm for the solo- my personal preference is for messier, Yo La Tengo/Sonic Youth-style noise- that chorus is a simple, punky godsend. If nothing else, it's made me eager to pull out my copy of Rhino's No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion box to check out the Dictators track included there. Also, "cognoscenti"? You win this vocab battle, Floman!

Willie's Pick #15: Fatima Mansions- "The Door-to-Door Inspector" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: It's a dour goth anthem that prominently features an accordion. I've struggled to come up with a more informative description of this song, but do you really need to know more? From Viva Dead Ponies.
Scott's comments: This one has a mournful mood, but the somewhat overblown vocal is at odds with the sparse arrangement. I’m not sure how I feel about this song, in all honesty. I definitely like the "dour" overall atmosphere and certain sections of it, such as when the booming drums kick in and the accordion picks up. But even after several listens it hasn’t totally sunk in for me yet, though it's interesting enough that I keep trying.

Scott's Pick #15: Felt- "Primitive Painters" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: The best-known song from the cult band Felt isn’t exactly that well known, but it should be. From the first wash of celestial keyboards it’s obvious that this 6-minute epic is going to be something special. Big drums give the song a propulsive forward drive, and group leader Lawrence’s deep vocals have a deceptively hooky quality. But the icing on the cake comes from the Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser, who provides arguably the greatest guest vocal since Merry Clayton rode shotgun with Mick Jagger on “Gimme Shelter.” Perhaps “Primitive Painters” is a bit repetitive, both lyrically and musically, but with a groove this good it could go on forever for all I care. From Ignite the Seven Cannons, or you can grab it on the Absolute Classic Masterpieces compilation.
Willie's comments: "Primitive Painters" would've fit in nicely on the Trainspotting soundtrack, with its head-bobbling, uplifting simplicity and Lawrence's heavily-delayed vocals making him sound like Lou Reed produced by Goodbye Yellow Brick Road's Gus Dudgeon. I also like how Fraser's free-spirited, nearly wordless backing vocals provide a lively counterpoint to the rest of the arrangement, which is more regimented. (After awhile, it does start to seem like a coda without a song, but it fades out before its presence becomes a nuisance.)

Willie's Pick #14: 12 Rods- "Astrogimp" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: I know nobody ever says, "My life doesn't have enough midtempo modern rock songs in it," but humor me, because "Astrogimp" wins that particular Best of Genre ribbon. Yes, it's driven by the mid-'90s third-generation Pixies influence of loping, quarter-note basslines and emphatic barre chords, but in the service of a solidly designed non-super-hero anthem. Better still, Todd Rundgren, of all people, contributes his peerless production know-how with smart touches like the intentionally dated sci-fi synths and the quivery guitar solo. It's the sort of song you'd never think you could fall in love with, but that you'll play over and over anyway, because it makes a generally blah formula seem futuristic. From Separation Anxieties.
Scott's comments: I agree that this is a great little track and that it does sound futuristic. Personally I think that originality is important but tends to be overrated in the grand scheme of things, just give me a good song and I’m usually happy. This one has a big riff-driven sound, keyboards that hit all the right pleasure points without coming off as dated or cheesy, and solidly detached vocals that aren’t great but which are more than good enough. This track may be straightforward but it’s still a winner all the way around.

Scott's Pick #14: Bobby "Blue" Bland- "Lead Me On" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Dave Marsh called this lush, haunting ballad "the greatest 3 A.M. record ever made." He'll get no argument from me; from Two Steps From The Blues, which Scott reviewed here.
Willie's comments: Wow. I didn't know it was possible for a song to sound so desperately lonely, and I listen to a lot of desperately lonely music. The strings and choir almost sound like Halloween sound effects at first, it's all so desolate. This song should really be undergoing a popularity renaissance among Gnarls Barkley fans, because this is exactly the sort of spookily heartfelt ballad that made St. Elsewhere possible. Awesome pick.

Willie's Pick #13: Madness- "Madness" (Right-click to download, though please note that the MP3 is mislabeled as "Chipmunks Are Go" due to Willie's malpractice-level inattentiveness. You might want to rename it.)
Willie's comments: Unlike the poppy carnival sounds they'd make on singles like "Our House" and "House of Fun," Madness's mission statement is more appropriate to a ska-based sock hop, with its simple melody, dinky keyboards, and reverently nostalgic saxaphone solo. Enjoy! From One Step Beyond... I think.
Scott's comments: Dinky Casio keyboards are what one most remembers from this catchy, fun ditty. I dig it (especially the sax solo), though probably only in limited dosages given how simplistic and repetitive it is.

Scott's Pick #13: Bonnie Raitt- "Give It Up or Let Me Go" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: I love the loose and lively vibe of this song, which leads off Bonnie Raitt’s second and best album, Give It Up. For one thing, Bonnie is the rare woman who is both a great blues-pop singer and a hotshot guitarist, and this song has a joyous ragtime feel that’s infectious. When the various horns kick in and the tempo picks up, it’s damn near impossible to stand still; throw in some rolling piano runs and a spectacular buildup towards a scintillating climax and what you have is a winner all the way around.
Willie's comments: The New Orleans brass-and-woodwind section that quickly takes over this song totally cracks me up. I'm generally not a fan of blues song structures, just because I feel like we've all heard those twelve bars way too many times, but this is the rare case of an artist doing something fresh atop the predictable chord progression. "Fresh" in this case meaning "bopping along with hilarious, nearly lunatic energy."

Willie's Pick #12: Songs: Ohia- "Dogwood Gap" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Those who are (incorrectly, but understandably) turned off by the abundant tics of Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Magnum might find the intense folk-rock of Songs: Ohia's Jason Molina more to their taste. This song, in particular, is like a beveled-edge condensation of NMH's epic "Oh Comely": both songs surround a meaningfully-strummed acoustic guitar with melodies that writhe and shudder unpredictably. Viscerally, even. Molina, however, never quite lets his anguished voice off the leash entirely as Magnum does, even when, in the final verse, it rises to a Neil Young-inspired wail. The lyrics are inscrutable, but in a way that invites study rather than dismissal. I wound up listening to this song about a dozen times in a row the first time I heard Songs: Ohia, the self-titled album from which this track comes. I hope you like it.
Scott's comments: I do like it, and I agree with the Neutral Milk Hotel and Neil Young comparisons. Excellent description, I have nothing to add!

Scott's Pick #12: Toots & the Maytalls- "Love is Gonna Let Me Down" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: There's something incredibly spiritual and moving about this chugging semi-ballad, which is also really catchy and even danceable come chorus time. Toots Hibbert, a.k.a. "the Otis Redding of reggae," sings his heart out, and the deep, cavernous backing vocals of the Maytalls hit the spot as well, maybe even more so. Lush strings, sinewy guitar, celestial organ, organic strings; it all comes together on this song, probably my favorite from their classic Funky Kingston album.
Willie's comments: Yeah, you pretty much nailed all the best elements of this song, though I'd also like to mention the unobtrusively gleeful clavichord. I also like the way the intro tricks you into thinking it's going to be a still-life soul ballad until the beat kicks in. I'm going to have to check out more from Ol' Toots, I think!

Willie's Pick #11: Ugly Duckling- "Meatshake" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: This is a giggle-inducing hip-hop advertisement for a fictional restaurant at which "everything we serve has meat in it," right down to the cookies and salads. Deadpan rapping- a la Cake or The Bloodhound Gang- and cute consumer testimonials give way to a silly jingle that's as impossible to banish from your brain as any Herb Alpert-style '70s game-show theme. The subject matter turns my vegetarian stomach, but it's witty enough that I don't even mind. From Taste the Secret.
Scott's comments: Let's just say that I like this song about as much as Chris liked my Jeff Buckley song! Actually, I like the vocal hook on the chorus, if you can call it that, and the slinky bass line as well, but this novelty song fails to hold up for me after repeat listens. It's cute and all, but it's not the kind of song I would generally seek out, though it certainly is different and may appeal to those of you who appreciate the silly side of Frank Zappa.

Scott's Pick #11: Lucinda Williams- "Right in Time" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This is a perfect song, from arguably the greatest female singer-songwriter of all-time. From her masterful Car Wheels On A Gravel Road album. [Read Scott's review of the album here.]
Willie's comments: After one listen, I wondered why more artists don't write such solid, no-frills songs. After another listen, I realized that it's because no one can write like Lucinda Williams. There's a vague country vibe to this song (probably because of Lucinda's endearing twang), but the jangly guitars and enormous chorus will please even the stuffiest of the "I can get into anything except country" folks. I really like the way the song takes an aw-shucks attitude towards its own massive appeal, like Freedy Johnston at his best (and unlike, say, Melissa Etheridge, who just strains and strains for anthemic scope rather than letting it come naturally, like Lucinda does). I also like the way that the third verse transforms this airy, fresh song into something cheek-reddeningly sexy. Yeah, this is a joy to listen to.

Willie's Pick #10: Folksongs for the Afterlife- "Did I Let You Down?" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: I'm a sucker for seemingly homemade indie-pop, as you may know, but even if I were impartial, I'd adore this off-center treat. Fuzzy, lo-fi loops and echoes serve as the track's rhythm and constantly impinge on the dreampop fogginess of Caroline Schutz's vocals, and the ongoing duel never lets the track settle into a complacent, Stereolabby lounge arrangement. Instead, it re-creates the "world is spinning too fast yet also dangerously slowly" disorientation of a particularly memorable sleeping pill buzz. From Put Danger Back in Your Life.
Scott's comments: I really like this song and your description of it. It has a good melody, a hooky chorus, and I dig its hazy vibe and the depth to the various sounds coming through my speakers. Plus, singer Caroline Schutz is a real find; she reminds me of Beth Orton or maybe Sarah McLachlan at her most adventurous circa Fumbling Towards Ecstacy. In short, this is a cool tune from a band I’d like to hear more from.

Scott's Pick #10: Jeff Buckley- "What Will You Say" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Since I made Tim Buckley my first MP3 pick, it makes sense (to me, anyway) to pick a Jeff Buckley song to cap off the first 10 picks of this new joint venture. Simply put, this is probably my favorite Jeff Buckley song, which is saying something given how highly I regard him. An epic (7:35) entry that first appeared on the posthumously released live album, Mystery White Boy, I love the way the song builds in its Zeppelin-esque way. There’s that incredible voice (heard to best effect at 6:53), of course, but check out his hard driving guitar playing starting at 5:10, and the moving lyrics, though written by friend Chris Dowd, might as well have been written by Jeff given how they address his own non-existent relationship with his father, Tim. Simply put, this song is an epic in every sense of the word, and the more I hear of Jeff, given his vast future potential and skimpy actual accomplishments, the more I’m convinced that the biggest loss in rock n’ roll history occurred when Jeff Buckley decided to go swimming on May 29, 1997.
Willie's comments: My friend Aimee used to repeatedly and only half-jokingly tell me that I'll be going to Hell for finding Jeff Buckley boring. (I have a similar opinion of Zeppelin, frankly, but Aimee was silent on the theological implications there.) So I know it touches nerves to slag the man's music, and I hate to dump on a song that clearly means so much to you, but as with Grace, I find "What Will You Say" pompous and unappealing. I do like the cathartic guitar torture that you mentioned at the five-minute mark, but the rest of the song strikes me as so confoundedly bloated and sludgy that it makes me yearn for the comparative modesty and slickness of Pearl Jam. It's sad that Buckley is gone, of course, but he really never made my type of music. Now excuse me while I retire to my study with a Roxette album...

Willie's Pick #9: Phish- "Cavern" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Having picked a couple songs that don't even stretch for the two-minute mark, I promised Scott this pick would be a Phish song, since they're known for dragging songs out upwards of 40 minutes. "Cavern" isn't quite such a slog, but I think its skanky silliness is filling enough to qualify as an entree. I remember that my mom declared it "boring" when I was in high school, but she wasn't really trying to get into the friendly groove that the band- and particularly keyboardist Page McConnell- rassles to the ground here with loping hooks and phonetic lyrical pleasures like "Give the director a serpent deflector, a mudrat detector, a ribbon reflector, a cushion convector, a picture of nectar, a viral dissector, a hormone collector." From the tremendously high-quality studio album A Picture of Nectar.
Scott's comments: Funky, albeit in a we’re a bunch of white guys sort of way (Sly Stone and co. these guys ain’t), keyboard heavy, and deceptively catchy, with those goofy lyrics Chris quoted and a loose groovy melody, this is indeed an enjoyable little tune, and it’s a whopping 4 and a half minutes long! :)

Scott's Pick #9: Edwyn Collins- "A Girl Like You" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: That’s not David Bowie? I remember my shock (and slight disappointment given that I’m a fan of Bowie) upon learning that “A Girl Like You” was in fact written and performed by one Edwyn Collins, former leader of Orange Juice and an obvious fan of Mr. Bowie. Do you remember this song? It was a minor hit that appeared on two soundtracks (Empire Records and Never Talk To Strangers), and it’s a stone-cold classic, led by its crooned Bowie-fied vocals, a tinkly vibraphone-led groove that’s further enhanced by catchy electronic effects and beats, and topped off by Collins’s fuzzy, razor edged wailing guitar outbursts. Simply put, any list of great ‘90s songs should include this one. From Gorgeous George.
Willie's comments: Between this and Spacehog's "In the Meantime," the '90s sure had their share of shameless Bowie impersonations that are redeemed by being really damn good, didn't they? (Their share is two. Enough for any decade, I think. The next two and a half years can accommodate one more after Moby's "We Are All Made of Stars.") I love the way the flow of Collins's smart-aleck vocals is constantly threatened by "The Man Who Sold the World"-style asides, squishy keyboards, and that guitar! That wonderful guitar tone! Even if it didn't have a memorably sneering melody, I'd probably name it as one of the five best-produced songs I've ever heard.

Willie's Pick #8: The Gothic Archies- "The Dead Only Quickly" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: For some reason, Stephin Merritt left this song off The New Despair, the first widely-distributed release from his ultra-dark Gothic Archies project, instead leaving it for dead (haw!) on Looming in the Gloom, an EP that was in print only momentarily through John Flansburgh's mail-order Hello Club. It remains my favorite Gothic Archies track. One minute of pithy, pissy atheism, delivered in Merritt's inimitably dour croak.
Scott's comments: I don’t have much else to add other than to ask, is it me, or does Merritt sound like a vampire? That’s part of his charm I guess, that deadpan delivery he has down pat, and this is a typically strong Merritt effort, even if it comes and goes all too quickly.

Scott's Pick #8: ELO- "Tightrope" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Arguably the best song on the band’s best album, A New World Record, this one starts with a synth swoosh and then some of the band’s trademark dramatic strings. After that not-so-ominous buildup and some operatic chants, the song starts in earnest with hooky riffs and a galloping groove. As usual the simplistic lyrics aren’t really the point, the point is how Jeff Lynne piles hooks on top of hooks; I mean, how can you not love those catchy “hey hey hey” vocals? Some of the song's attributes repeat themselves: futuristic synths, scratchy strings, operatic chants, and Lynne’s smooth lead vocals, for example, but the end result is never less than utterly delightful despite the datedness of the track (few bands scream 1970s! quite like prime ELO). Although it wasn’t a hit despite being on an album jam-packed with hits, “Tightrope” is simply a great pop song from a really good and often quite underrated band.
Willie's comments: What fun! One thing I love about ELO is the way Lynne's overblown production never seems pretentious. Even given his penchant for lengthy, quasi-cinematic intros and codas, he never seems like he's demanding you take him seriously. Rather, he seems like he's thinking about all the musical tools at his disposal and gasping, "'Tightrope' could use this and this and this!" On this song, Lynne elevates what could've been an unremarkably catchy rock boogie to something far more engaging: the sounds of a rollicking party in the recording studio.

Willie's Pick #7: Creeper Lagoon- "Under the Tracks" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: I can only assume that this tremendous Britpop song was disqualified from widespread acclaim because it comes from a bunch of Californians who are trying really hard to disguise their place of origin. Even though Creeper Lagoon is totally just trying to horn in on the action reserved for those groomed by NME, they still manage to make writing a shimmering, climactic song seem easy, which is the key to the charm of any great Britpop single you'd care to name. ("Wonderwall," "Yellow," "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" and so on.) Guiding things along, frontman Ian Sefchick does his best Damon Albarn, sighing his lyrics with such velveteen obsequiousness that you'll grudgingly hand over your heart even though the lyrics are drivel. From Take Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday, the remainder of which didn't impress me. At least not nearly this much.
Scott's comments: I gotta admit, I don’t hear this as a Britpop song at all. In fact, it reminds me more of Tom Petty than Blur. Then again, I like Tom Petty and this song, which has a pleasant guitar jangle and some pretty piano embellishments. A strong melody leads into a fairly hooky chorus, and the song builds nicely throughout. If anything this song makes me think that “classic rock” is alive and well, only this is a classic rock song that you’ll never hear on the radio.

Scott's Pick #7: Sylvain Sylvain and the Teardrops- "I Can't Forget Tomorrow" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Most people are aware of David Johansen and Johnny Thunders, but few people know that third wheel Sylvain Sylvain also did some cool solo stuff, albeit in a more r&b-based pop style than what the New York Dolls did. Despite its regrettably dated keyboard sound, I really like this wistful, tender, heartfelt semi-ballad, which I find both emotionally affecting and easily singable. From Sylvain's second post-Dolls album, Syl Sylvain and the Teardrops.
Willie's comments: I agree with you on the keyboard tone, and I really wish Mr. Sylvain would try harder to hit that one low note he keeps biffing throughout the song, but this still has a nice energy to it. It's the energy of a decidedly unsophisticated punk hero earnestly trying to gussy a song up and make it conventionally pretty, and it's hard to resist even if the song isn't quite a #1 jam. In that way, "I Can't Forget Tomorrow" reminds me of the Ramones' "Howling At the Moon" (which was produced with endearing fussiness by the Eurythmics' David A. Stewart).

Willie's Pick #6: Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass- "Green Peppers" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: I volunteer at a radio station for the blind from time to time, and when I discovered this song among the instrumental selections to signal the end of a promo break, I became so enchanted with it that I played it at every single opportunity until the station manager wound up having to remove it from the library. I'm no good at music theory, but it sounds like these mariachi-style trumpets (and a xylophone) are jumping from a major to a minor key and back throughout the song, bleating out a riff that I find completely fascinating. From Whipped Cream & Other Delights, which also contains the theme song to The Dating Game, incidentally. (This fact only buttresses my notion that "Green Peppers" sounds like a Latin American version of the Jeopardy! theme.)
Scott's comments: I can see how this instrumental ditty could become addictive, as it's a cute, catchy little number. Pity it's not longer (1:32). On a trivia note, Herb Alpert later became the A in A&M records, and can you name the band who parodied the famous album cover from which this song originated? Click here to find out.

Scott's Pick #6: Jerry Butler & the Impressions- "For Your Precious Love" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Roger Daltrey once sang "it's the singer not the song," and Jerry Butler & The Impressions prove it on this classic love ballad. The song is simple, simplistic even, with a lone guitar, some piano, a slow steady beat, loads of echo, and a few well-chosen words, but what elevates the song into the soul pantheon is Butler's towering vocal. His deep, sonorous baritone is simply spectacular, and the Impressions' haunting backing harmonies hit the spot as well.
Willie's comments: If I worked for an ad agency and really wanted to license "Unchained Melody" for a commercial but couldn't afford the rights, I think "For Your Precious Love" is the substitute I'd use. It's a very nice number, and if it suffers slightly for an overly familiar structure (which, in all fairness, was surely more novel back in 1958), that's more than made up by the sincere longing in Butler's voice. This song is available on a billion Jerry Butler compilations, as well as in Rhino's genre-spanning Doo Wop Box compilation.

Willie's Pick #5: Schneider TM- "Frogtoise" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: "I had a dream I cut a frog in half and a turtle too/To plant the top of the tortoise on the poor frog's base," sings German electronic artist Dirk Dresselhaus (aka Schneider TM), while plump glitch beats roll all around him. It's definitely an unexpected image to open a song that, musically, is as chipper and upbeat as a Mouse on Mars single. However, I think there's a hint of real remorse in Dresselhaus's otherwise dispassionate voice, and I hope I'm right, because that's what elevates this track from amusingly weird dance music to surreal poignancy. By making his narrator audibly feel culpable for seemingly unmotivated mutilations he committed in a dream, and then adding enchanting response harmonies that have a slight mocking quality (a technique seemingly salvaged from Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me"), Dresselhaus succeeds in capturing the unsettling way you can be sabotaged by your own subconscious when the aftertaste of a nasty dream follows you into your waking life. It's from the album Zoomer, the remainder of which is serviceable, but I suspect I'd be more impressed with it if "Frogtoise" didn't wreck the grading curve by being so glorious.
Scott's comments: Great review! Dreamy, danceable, and thought provoking, my only complaint against this song is that maybe it runs a little long.

Scott's Pick #5: Jonny Polonsky- "Love Lovely Love" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: The chugging riffs are killer, Polonsky's vocals exude a rough-hewn charm, I dig the song's new wave/power pop attributes, and most all its great chorus; this is simply a "should've been a smash hit" that wasn't. I love the way Jonny holds the "fine..." on the chorus, and this song is just a hook-filled, hard rocking gem that's instantly appealing and holds up to repeat listens. From Polonsky's consistently strong debut, Hi My Name Is Jonny. [Read Scott's review of the album here.]
Willie's comments: Ooh, this is a good one! It's very difficult to believe that "Love Lovely Love" is more than ten years old at this point... though of course the fuzzbox guitar arrangement is timeless. So let's just call it a missing link between the earnest playfulness of '80s rock (Rick Springfield, Tommy Tutone) and the knowing songcraft of some of the better 21st-century power-poppers (Fountains of Wayne, New Pornographers).

Willie's Pick #4: Big Fish Ensemble- "Distant" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Sometimes I miss the earnest, jangly college rock of the early '90s, even though I was in middle school at the height of the genre's popularity. (The 120 Minutes compilations that my aunt got me for Christmas around that time impressed me mightily, so I started seeking out gobs of this stuff even though I was about ten years younger than the bands' target audience.) This deceptively sunny example is actually a wrenching snapshot of a rural man who realizes he's lost his love to the allure of the big city. His confusion, pleading, and bile will be familiar to anyone who's ever felt screwed when confronted with the fact that sometimes people change. From Field Trip.
Scott's comments: A simple jangle rock melody, plaintive vocals, some violin here and there (even a solo), the beat picks up...but let's face it, this song is really all about its lyrics. You can feel for the poor sap who's losing his love and the girl who, likely through no fault of her own, has simply changed and now feels trapped in a confining relationship. As Chris noted, people change and grow apart, it's a sad fact of life, and this song vividly illustrates how such a thing could happen. Musically I wouldn't call this song anything special, merely good, but its true-to-life story should be required listening for youngsters just starting to experience the ups and downs of relationships, as its warning message is well worth hearing.

Scott's Pick #4: Pagans- "Street Where Nobody Lives" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: You can almost see the grime on their grungy guitars. Our menacing narrator snarls as much as sings, his intentions are obviously less than admirable, the guitar solo lasts all of five seconds, and before you know it the song is over and done with. Point made with as pure a punk rock song as you'll find.
Willie's comments: Yeah, it's hard to think of one more element that could be removed from "Street Where Nobody Lives" without the term "song" being an irresponsible exaggeration, and that's its appeal. Two chords, a vocal part that doesn't deviate from those two chords, Mike Hudson sneering the lyrics with such a committed, fake-British "sod off" attitude that he doesn't even avoid taking breaths in the middle of lines... Just tightly-wound, immature misanthropy. Available on Shit Street, one of those fabulous entire-discography-on-one-CD compilations that old punk bands tend to release, God love 'em.

Willie's Pick #3: Del tha Funkee Homosapien- "What is a Booty" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Produced by kiddie-film star Ice Cube, this is the first track from the first solo album from hip-hop artist Del tha Funkee Homosapien (best known for his rapping on Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood"). It's less about Del's always-accessible rapping than about the gigantic funk bassline, soulful backing vocals and general P-Funk-style goofiness that abounds in lines like "On behalf of my behind I feel it's my duty to my booty that I come in the head of the class when it comes to... butts." It doesn't pretend to be anything more than a silly dance track that shakes its low end so you'll shake yours, and I think it's a blast. From I Wish My Brother George Was Here.
Scott's comments: Yeah, I guess Ice Cube isn’t so gangsta these days, huh? And aren’t you supposed to be the “indie guy”? What’s up with the cheesy disco track and now this funky rap tune? Actually, when I saw that this was a rap song I figured that I wouldn’t like it, since that’s usually the case with that genre, but I gotta admit that this song is a lot of fun, at least in limited dosages. What can I say other than that I agree that this song is all about it’s “gigantic funk bassline, soulful backing vocals and general P-Funk-style goofiness,” and as long as you’re in a silly, shake your booty sort of mood, I don’t see why you wouldn’t enjoy this song, which can power up any party (P.S. while we’re at it, I’ll admit that you’re probably right about Coldplay and lyrics, though I still love and stand by that selection).

Scott's Pick #3: Coldplay- "Fix You" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: These guys get a lot of crap, why I’m not exactly sure. Their first album was quite good, the second even better, and while their third album, X&Y, was disappointing, it still contained the band’s best song to date, the brilliant “Fix You.” For one thing, I’m a sucker for Hammond organ, and it’s all over this song. The lyrics are no great shakes but they’re comforting enough, in part because Chris Martin’s voice is so pretty, plus there’s some nice piano here and there as well. But the first 2:34 is just child’s play, anyway, that’s when the song takes off with soaring riffs and becomes an EPIC. The drums crash in and the overall sound is huge; I’ve worked out to this song tons of times and when that part kicks in, BELIEVE ME I find another gear no matter how tired I am. The sing along chorus that brings the song to its climatic conclusion hits the spot as well, but above all it’s that spiraling guitar part that will fix you.
Willie's comments: I love the ol' Hammond organ too, but otherwise this song doesn't really have much that touches me. As with the rest of X&Y, I think "Fix You" sounds like the product of a so-so Coldplay knockoff band like Keane: it's pleasant, but doesn't come close to the goosebump-inducing melodic heights of their first two records. Personally, I prefer Death Cab for Cutie's "Transatlanticism," which manages the gentle-ballad-to-sweeping-epic catharsis just as well, but weds it to thoughtful lyrics and a more memorable tune. (Seriously, I wish Chris Martin would start paying attention to his lyrics, lest he turn into Noel Gallagher.) I bet this really would be an effective workout song, though!

Willie's Pick #2: Thievery Corporation (feat. the Flaming Lips)- "Marching the Hate Machines (Into the Sun)" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: I'm really surprised this collaboration of big-indie names didn't become a hipster classic upon its release. We'll have to rectify that. Although the steamy, noir-y trip-hop arrangement is pretty clearly a Thievery Corporation gizmo, the song actually fits better into the Lips' body of work: not just because of Wayne Coyne's distinctive voice, but because of his lyrics. As usual, they concern taking up arms on the side of Love in its battle against Hate, and they're as stirring as ever. From Thievery Corporation's The Cosmic Game.
Scott's comments: I like this track and feel that its enticing "chill out" vibe would fit in nicely on the Lips' own Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots album. In fact, it's probaby better than anything on At War With The Mystics, and it makes me want to get to know the Thievery Corporation better, which is a sure sign of quality for any individual song.

Scott's Pick #2: Barbara Lewis- "Hello Stranger" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: Pretty keyboards, doo-wop backing by the Dells, and Lewis’ lovely, lilting lead vocal leading into a low-key yet hooky chorus (“ooh, it seems like a mighty long time”); why don't they make songs such as this slyly seductive stunner any more?
Willie's comments: Probably because songs like this require a subtle touch that's completely alien to your modern-day Pussycat Doll. The arrangement is as crisp and light as phyllo dough, and Lewis's voice is both massively soulful and full of airy ebullience at seeing an old crush again. Whatever the era, though, it's rare that a song so successfully evokes the feeling of unchecked romantic hopefulness, which is what makes "Hello Stranger" a treasure. Great pick! Incidentally, this song's first album appearance was on Lewis's Baby, I'm Yours. 

Willie's Pick #1: Boney M- "Rasputin" (Right-click to download.)
Willie's comments: Remember the Saturday Night Fever parody in Airplane! when Robert Hays moves from aping John Travolta's disco gyrations to performing a Russian kazatsky dance? This late-'70s German dance single could easily have been the soundtrack to that scene: it melds disco beats and orchestration with Eastern European folk elements to give a simplistic, World Book Encyclopedia-level summary of the life of Rasputin. Cluelessly goofy as a lot of the elements are (such as the grave spoken interlude), the "Rah! Rah! Rasputin!" chorus rivals ABBA for irresistible catchiness, and the entire production has aged remarkably well, fitting nicely into our current genre-splicing musical century. It's originally from Nightflight to Venus, but is available on any number of compilations.
Scott's comments: Ha, I’m cracking up just thinking of that Airplane! scene set to this song, good one! This song is about as different from the Tim Buckley song as you can imagine, and I agree it’s all ridiculous fun that should appeal to fans of ABBA, Georgio Moroder, and campy, catchy, danceable disco in general, though I need to be in a particular kind of mood to swallow such cheese wholesale…

Scott's Pick #1: Tim Buckley- "Song to the Siren" (Right-click to download.)
Scott's comments: This version is from Buckley’s appearance on the Monkees TV show and it’s available on his Morning Glory anthology. Exceedingly sparse, the song contains just simply strummed guitar chords and that ultra-pure voice of his, which is resonant and beautiful enough to carry the song all by its lonesome. Just listen, I don’t have much more to say other than that this haunting rendition is the definitive version of the song, and that the lyrics here are different from the original version on Starsailor.
Willie's comments: Ultra-pure is a good term to describe this tune: ultra-pure sadness, ultra-pure heartbreak. As Scott said, it's nothing more than a guitar and a melody, but what's there is minimal folk perfection. It's worth checking out the Monkees episode on which this song was performed, incidentally. Juxtaposing it with the show's trademark puns and "romps" only heightens Tim's stunning, fragile sorrow.

Copyright notice: No permission has been sought from or given by these songs' copyright holders for us to post them. On the off chance you are the copyright holder for one of these songs (or the artist, regardless of your official rights to the song) and it annoys you that your song is here, contact Willie and he'll take it down. We're not trying to smugly flout any laws or run afoul of the RIAA; we're just trying to get people interested in songs and artists we enjoy. Or one of us enjoys, at any rate.

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