Li'l pieces of sonic joy
If you've been the recipient of one of my [in]famous mix CDs, you may have already heard one or more of these, but I feel compelled to share a bunch of my favorite-favorite songs of late. That's right, my blogging has been lagging just that badly.

The Decemberists - The Engine Driver
Lyrics about using the writing process to deal with lost love mixed with a just fantastic melody. What's not to like?

Nina Simone - Lilac Wine
I loved Jeff Buckley's "Grace" as much as the next guy, but his cover still had nothing on the original.

Todd Snider - You Got Away With It (A Tale of Two Fraternity Brothers)
Thank you KDHX and Pop Life with Anton. Thank you so, so much.

Orson Welles - Frozen Peas Spot
Okay, not really a song per se. But it is one of the all-time greatest, most tragic figures of U.S. cinema obsessing over the shortcomings of a script for a British frozen peas commercial. Sometimes, that's enough.

Godzuki - Your Future
Out-of-print late 1990s Cure-influenced indie-electro-pop straight outta Detroit. Most pleasing.

Mulatu Astatke - N�tsan�t
1970s Ethiopian jazz-funk.

Julia Sets - National Steel
This song only showed up on the band's mp3.com page and on a pretty limited cassette release, but I still wager that it's one of the best songs by one of the best St. Louis local bands of the last 15 years.

Kettel - Through Friendly Waters
I think this guy is Dutch? Pleasant, leisurely IDM.

Magazine - Shot by Both Sides
Oh, this Buzzcocks offshoot. Oh, how they rock and how they roll.

The Skalars - High School
I think that long-lost local faves the Skalars may have made my favorite ska song outside of the Specials or Desmond Dekker.

Kenickie - Lunch at Lassiters
It's just catchy, y'know?

Neko Case - Look For Me (I'll Be Around)
Better than the Sarah Vaughn original. The entire "Blacklisted" album is just tremendous, really. Neko has to be the reincarnation of Patsy Cline, swear to God.

Tiger Trap - You and Me
Sunny, happy '90s indie pop.

The Plastics - Digital Watch
Like a Japanese version of the B-52's, except with more drum machines.

So there you have it. It's like an mp3 blog without all of the illegal!
- posted by Eric @ 4:22 PM