I've been pretty absent here the past few weeks, I've been very busy at work. My absence will continue over the weekend: I'm driving up to Swanville, MN to hunt deer. At my great-uncle-in-law's. Both my father and father-in-law are in the hunting party. Which I quite enjoy.
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As I mentioned earlier, my week's soundtrack has been pretty much 70% Beyoncé (with 20% Merle, and 10% Random). When I put together my end-of-the-year lists, her new album 4 is going to be hard to file: an 8-song album might challenge* Colin Stetson, but those other five or so songs are still there on the album, and she might not get listed at all. At the same time, there's too many good songs for me to pick just one for my singles list (which is where I put songs not on listed albums: otherwise both lists would pretty much be copies of each other.

*Or maybe it's just a brief infatuation with the record and I'll be sick of it by December 1.

I like Kanye West's work, but I hope he never again shows up on a Beyoncé album. Three seconds into "Party", and three seconds of his voice, and I'm hitting the "next track" button.

So anyways, share your list.

I think that if the rift between Kim and Thurston is irreconcilable and that their musical partnership must be dissolved along with their marital bonds, the best way forward is for Kim to put her efforts into Free Kitten full time and for Sonic Youth to hire EMA to replace Kim. Check out her Daytrotter Session and her Nirvana cover (of "Endless, Nameless", the hidden noise track from Nevermind). She can play third guitar, and if she can't play bass, SY should just keep that guy from Pavement around, or some other bass player.

Then, as Thurston, Lee, and Steve each decide that as they age, they're ready to take some time off, find other similar talents to replace them in the band. Over time, we may have completely replaced the members of Sonic Youth while still keeping the band together. The band will actually have a chance at outliving its founders!

Do you think this will work? Will EMA fit into the band? Will SY drop Thurston instead, when there's no clear replacement for him? Can the guy from Pavement sing in place of Thurston? Will you give us your random ten?

So my annual ritual for my birthday is a mix CD. Here's what I made:

1. Lana Del Rey “Blue Jeans”
2. Colin Stetson “Red Horse (Judges II)”
3. So So Radio “Disengaged (Live In Studio)”
4. Ha Ha Tonka “Lonely Fortunes (Mile Marker Session)”
5. Meat Puppets “Comin' Down”
6. Rocky Votolato “Red River”
7. The Spring Standards “The Hush”
8. Robert Randolph & The Family Band “back to the wall”
9. Alabama Shakes “I Found You”
10. The Sugarcubes “Hit”
11. Zola Jesus “Shivers”
12. Lana Del Rey “Video Games”
13. Johnny Cash “The Mercy Seat”
14. Ha Ha Tonka “No Great Harm”
15. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy “Ohio River Boat Song” (Greatest Palace Music version)
16. Sonic Youth “Pink Steam”
17. The Pharcyde “Passin Me By (Hot Chip Remix)”
18. The Tamlins feat. Alborosie “Baltimore (Alborosie Remix)”
19. Luomo “Tessio (Radio Edit)”
20. Zola Jesus “Run Me Out”

So that's what I'm feeling this week. That and Merle.

Ha Ha Tonka will be opening for Robert Randolph and the Family Band at First Ave one week from today. I have a standing offer to buy anyone I know their first HHT ticket, but with a $20 cover, I hope I don't get a rush of takers.

I've now listened to a few of these Randolph albums, and I don't really them that much. Reminds me of my least favorite songs from Fishbone's Reality of My Surroundings and Give a Monkey a Brain...: generally those that Angelo Moore did not sing on. Without the Angelo-ey goodness surrounding the others' songs, I doubt I would have their songs a second listen. They do seem like they'd be a fun band to see live, particularly with someone to dance with. But preggers EAR won't be able to go.

Zola Jesus will be playing at the 7th Street Entry on Wednesday night. I missed her last time around. I should probably get to this show, before she has to play bigger venues.

Anyways, you may now share your random T1E1N.

Something like food poisoning sent me to bed at about 9:30 last night, so I couldn't put up a post. Apologies.

You can share your random ten or eleven... Continue reading Friday Music Day: Sept 16, 2011 →

There's been a lot of music talk this week already. Let's see if we can add to that, eh?

Possible topic: as we near the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001, do you have any particular musical memories from that period of time? I know I was listening to Neotropic's La Prochaine Fois.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5gthgvtH0E
I had bought the CD the week before at Let It Be. The wordless, bleached out sounds felt like memory and loss at the time. Please keep any discussions well onto the safe side of the topic line.

Also, share your random ten here.

Let's talk about some music!