“On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea”

The Kinks – “This Time Tomorrow” from Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One (1970)This song was used to great affect in Wes Anderson’s latest, The Darjeeling Limited. I can’t really recommend the movie but this Kinks album is terrific.
Buy it here
Posted by Jordy

“Connected are the promenades and waterways/the living waves of harbor nights and city days”

Ted Leo/Pharmacists – “Bridges, Squares” from Hearts of Oak (2003)
Ted Leo writes great songs about walking around. I’ve never been to Beantown, but this song–wherein a walk turns into a rumination on city planning, the commodification of bohemianism, the inter-connectedness of all things, and God’s plans for man–makes me want to go.
Buy Ted here
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“Here they always play my songs”

Love – “Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale” from Forever Changes (1967)
I just learned that Neil Young was originally slated to produce Love’s late-60s psych-classic. Thanks Wikipedia. This mariachi-esque pop tune sports one of the all-time great song titles, standing out amid an album full of great song titles. [...]

Which colors?

Charles Mingus – “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” from Mingus Ah Um (1959)
“Self-Portrait” is one of the best examples of Mingus’s beautiful polyphonic writing. Sounds like classical music, almost. This track was originally written for John Cassavettes’s first film, Shadows, and is included on Ah Um, one of the essential albums, and a good record for [...]

Paydirt

I have recently acquired A Tree With Roots (Scorpio, 2001), a bitchingly comprehensive bootleg of Dylan and the Band’s famed Basement Tapes.  It is a remastered version of The Genuine Basement Tapes and contains 108 songs (incl. several alternate takes). The quality is generally great and very raw.  It’s a revelation, believe [...]

“Teach me some melodious sonnet”

Sufjan Stevens – “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” from Songs for Christmas, Vol. II (2006)
Thanks to all our readers. We hope your Thanksgiving is as you always remembered it.
Help make Christianity hip
Posted by Jordy

This little light of mine

Wolf Parade – “Shine a Light” from Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)
The Constantines – “Shine a Light” from Shine a Light (2003)
The Rolling Stones – “Shine a Light” from Exile on Main Street (1972)
Since I’ll be stuffed and computerless for the the rest of the week, it’s time to say thanks to Jordy–the power [...]

“It’s time the tale were told.”

The Smiths – “Reel Around the Fountain” from The Smiths (1984)
By all accounts, Morrissey is an asshole and I don’t like the Smiths very much at all but there is an undeniable beauty in this song.
Buy it here, if you must
Posted by Jordy (not a 13 year-old girl)

“Living at night isn’t helping my complexion”

Pere Ubu – “Final Solution” from Terminal Tower (1985) [originally released as single (1976)]
Absolutely killer song from Cleveland’s god-like Pere Ubu. Listen for Peter Laughner’s great guitar work. Laughner is also known for being quoted by Wilco and eulogized by Lester Bangs.
Buy the Ubu
Visit Ubu on the web here
–Glenn

“I was wrong, for I was watching from the window up above”

George Jones – “The Window Up Above” (1960)
One of my favorite country singers discovered since the great country music voyage began is balladeer George Jones. In this song, he teaches us the important lesson that voyeurism never does anybody any good. If only he hadn’t been spying, if only he’d been sleeping instead of watching…
Buy [...]

“All evening, yeah!”

Sam Prekop – “Something” from Who’s Your New Professor (2005)
Breezy.
Buy it here
–Glenn

“Let him take it from the top.”

The Band – “Stage Fright” from Stage Fright (1970)
The Band were pirates of all manners of American music. And they did it better than any other group of musicians that I can think of.
Each one of them was so accomplished.
I love Rick Danko’s vocal on this song. It’s strong but strained, which gives it [...]

Friday at the Village Vanguard

Bill Evans – “Solar” from Sunday At the Village Vanguard (1961)
Bill Evans’s four records with the otherworldly Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums–Portrait in Jazz, Explorations, Sunday, and Waltz For Debby–are jazz essentials and contain some of the most beautiful music ever. Known for sensitive interpretations of ballads, the trio could also [...]

“What can I do to make you listen?”

Roky Erickson – “Starry Eyes” from All That Do My Rhyme (1995)
Originally released on the 1985 Clear Night for Love EP, this version features Lou Ann Barton on vocals with Roky.
Buy Roky here
-Jordy

“Wait (wade?) in the fire”

Jeff Buckley – “Grace” from Grace (1994)
It took me a while to get into this guy, whose music can go from sounding like a genius combination of Pearl Jam, Van Morrison, and R. Kelly to a half-witted mix of Hootie & The Blowfish and U2, all in the same song. And I was doubtful when [...]