The Jesus Lizard -

Five Songs, 12/19/2017

Posted on December 19, 2017 | Joshua Buergel

The Flaming Lips, “Stand in Line”

Prior to turning into the atmospheric, melancholy, fuzzed-out band they are today, the Flaming Lips were an experimental, drugged-out psych band that really didn’t know where things were going, but didn’t particularly care. They released a series of albums that you can charitably describe as “uneven” but most would probably categorize as “unlistenable”. They started going in the right direction with 1990’s In A Priest Driven Ambulance, which gives us today’s song. Somehow, Warner Brothers signed them to a major label based on this record. Anyway, I actually like it better than the immediately following album, and this albums is where to stop if you’re going backwards through the Lips’ discography.

Five Songs, 7/5/2017

Posted on July 5, 2017 | Joshua Buergel

The 4th of July was excellent! I hope everybody reading this who had a celebration also had a great time. I want you all to party as much as you can! I have music for you! It might even be party music?

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, “Drums and Chicken”

Yeah, OK, I can party to the Bosstones. This song appears on the Mashin’ Up The Nation: The Best of American Ska Volumes 1 and 2 compilation, which was indisputably a collection of American ska bands. I’ve never known if this was a misprint on the comp, as this same song is on Devil’s Night Out as “Drunks and Children”. Baffling. Anyway, the compilation is deeply inessential.

Five Songs 7/3/2017

Posted on July 3, 2017 | Joshua Buergel

Four day weekend? You know what that means around here at Five Songs? IT MEANS…HANG ON…TWENTY SONGS! HERE’S FIVE OF THEM! ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!!!

Chevelle, “Peer”

I was sure that shuffle was going to pull up something distinctly un-rock. Well, I bought this album (Point #1) based entirely on Steve Albini recording it. I thought it was fine, and didn’t really go any further. Imagine my surprise when reading a bit about this band to discover that they lasted forever and apparently became huge sellers. Huh. Wouldn’t have guessed.