Five Songs, 3/10/2022

Kid Koala, “The Fundamentals”

Floor Kids is the game soundtrack that Kid Koala did, because it’s not enough for him to be a musican, composer, and artist, it was time to work on a game also. It’s a fun rhythm game around breakdancing, and I recommend it, and of course the soundtrack is a good time.

The Skoidats, “Running Riot (live)”

A cover of the song by Cock Sparrer, in case you couldn’t make out the intro. Uh, not a whole lot else to say here.

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Five Songs, 10/13/2021

The Suicide Machines, “Punck”

Punk!

UGK, “The Game Belongs To Me”

Underground Kingz is one of those rarities, a rap double album that doesn’t end up feeling totally shaggy and unnecessary. While, yes, it does have some filler here and there, it’s mostly a very likeable listen, and Bun B in particular is always a pleasure to listen to.

The Skoidats, “Rootsawalkin'”

It’s a bit of a ripoff using the horn intro from “Guns of Navaronne” and then not have it be the song. I paused this and went and listened to that song instead and then came back. That said, this isn’t a bad tune, thick with horns and with a nice, frantic groove to it. It’s not the Skatalites, but nobody is. Except the Skatalites, I suppose.

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Five Songs, 7/5/2021

Pardoner, “Uncontrollable Salvation”

Another cut from the first Pardoner album, which is just a delightful rock discovery from a few years back. I went in totally blind, just a single review I’d read, and it hits me just right. There’s the right amount of stank on the guitars, the tempo drives nice, it’s just good stuff all around.

Earth, Wind & Fire, “Reasons”

So smooth. The lights in the room just spontaneously dimmed here.

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Five Songs, 7/2/2021

Arsonists, “Language Arts”

The Arsonists did their own production, which makes things like flipping these strings here so well all the more impressive. They never really got much attention at the time, but this kind of throwback stuff still sounds pretty fresh.

The Skoidats, “Last Night”

Ska punk, leaning heavily on the punk end of things, out of Missoula. They put out a couple records in the late 90s and then disappeared with most of the rest of the scene. It’s ok enough, as these things go, but can probably be skipped.

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Five Songs, 4/21/2021

Negativland, “I Am God”

It’s always kind of a difficult thing to categorize Negativland as music. Usually, they’re more performance art who happens to use audio as their medium. There are exceptions in their catalog, though. Escape From Noise has plenty of things on it that you can characterize as songs, fractured as most of them are. Free, their full album that followed up the whole U2 imbroglio, is maybe the most musical thing they’ve ever put together. Which isn’t to say it’s full of toe-tapping tunes. But hey, this song has a beat, and you can dance to it! Not bad for an album which is mostly a meditation on free will and freedom in general.

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Five Songs, 12/5/2019

Stephen Malkmus, “Discretion Grove”

Do you detect a little echo of “Wounded Kite” there in the aborted first bit of song on this track? No? Just me?

The Suicide Machines, “Our Time”

No, we’re leaving the “Days Since Last Listless, Anonymous Third Wave Song” sign alone on this one. There’s nothing listless about this! The Suicide Machines are very much a chip off the Operation Ivy block, and the energy here carries them plenty far.

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Five Songs, 1/20/2019

Short and Sweet today. Because it has Matthew Sweet! HAHA! (it’s not very sweet)

Matthew Sweet, “Smog Moon”

Sweet, during his peak period, was a reliably great power pop songwriter. But there were times when he’d kind of tip over into a cheesier territory, and this song is a prime example of that particular beast. You don’t want to evoke Billy Joel’s cornier moments, in general.

Kid Koala, “Pinballer”

This is one of the tunes from Kid Koala’s soundtrack to the video game Floor Kids, because he hasn’t tackled enough media yet. I wish I could say something about the game, but while I bought it, I haven’t tried it yet. I only have so much time, people!

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Five Songs, 1/13/2018

This playlist is rescued by the last two tracks.

Death From Above 1979, “Black History Month (Josh Homme Remix)”

Death From Above 1979 made only one proper album during their initial run, but there was also a remix album. Which is as inessential as basically every other remix album. There is something interesting about Josh Homme doing a remix of a dance punk band’s song, but eh.

Robustos, “Nigel Thornhill”

Totally forgotten third wave ska act the Robustos had even been basically forgotten by me up until this moment.

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