a brief summer-ish interlude

First, I'd like to say one thing-

HOORAY it's gonna be WARM and SUNNY for the next few days, and it's top-down weather fer sherr...!

Ok, now that that's out of the way.

You've asked for it- my picks for convertible-friendly summertime tune-age.

Of course, there's the obvious:

+44 (Mark Hoppus & Travis Barker of Blink-182), When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006, Interscope)

There are 13 reasons to love this album. Every track is worth it. I've mentioned it before, without giving it a real good spin, but let me elaborate a little. I've had this in constant rotation on my iTouch lately. +44's got some pretty good lyrics, reminiscent, of course, of the Cure, but they kind of remind me of Unwritten Law, too- and if you know me at all, you know what a freak I am for UL. Yes, you'll have to jog the volume on a couple of tracks if you're stuck in traffic next to a minivan full of kids, but very briefly. I find myself humming bits and pieces from nearly every track, and the duet "Make You Smile" with Carol Heller is so sweetly performed that it always lifts my spirits, even if it's not exactly a happy song.

Angels & Airwaves, both albums

I'm pretty sure I don't really have to tell you what or why for these two. Just... get your hands on some, give it a spin. You'll see what I mean.

The Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound (2008, Side One Dummy)

First things first- I must extend special thanks to DJH for sending me a boatload of tunes, some of which I've made permanent in my iTouch, and others I've yet to explore.

The Gaslight Anthem has this really cool retro rockabilly sound, minutely reminiscent of early Killers. I've not paid special attention to the lyrics just yet so I can't say for sure how traffic-jam-friendly this might be in the Jeep, but on the basis that GA's sound just plain gets me right *there* I'm gonna have to recommend that you acquire The '59 Sound. Even better, they're local- New Brunswick, NJ- which makes me very happy to spread their sound all over town. For real- that's how big things happen.

stellastarr*, Stellastarr* (2003, BMG)

stellastarr* was another of the artists I picked from D's collection. (They also give me reason to use the most asterisks I've ever used in three inches of space, which is no easy feat since that particular function of my keyboard is broken.)

I'm not really sure how describe their sound, except to say that it kind of reminds me of 80s-era rock, but, like GA, contains rockabilly elements as well. I know I've told you that "My Coco" is easily one of my new fave tracks, and that still stands. It makes me want to dance like crazy. The rest of this album is great- totally unique guitar riffs, incredible melodies and harmonies, and the lead singer is just awesome, because of his vocal range and his overall tonality- it's just so incredibly unique, you won't hear very many others like him. They're kind of local, New York City, and I dig that.

The Airborne Toxic Event, The Airborne Toxic Event (2007, The Island Def Jam Music Group)

Gonna have to watch the volume on this one, I've caught an f-bomb already, but this wall of sound masterpiece is exquisite. I must be after a particular sound these days, because this album is strongly reminiscent of both The Gaslight Anthem and stellastarr* in their rockabilly/80s new-wave feel, but something about these bands just makes me want to crank the volume louder. The more I listen, the more I can feel The Strokes shining through their sound, and "Happiness is Overrated" will surely bring The Clash to mind.

ATE takes their name from a Don DeLillo novel, which I've mentioned, and I still don't like the book, White Noise. Definitely worth a listen, though, and I'll tell you right now- "Gasoline" will get you moving. 

I've got no idea where they came from, but I can feel album hitting super heavy rotation on my iTouch.

Railroad Earth (no album specified)

Yep, it's formal this time. I'm sure a handful of you are aware how much I dig this band.

They're very local- from Stillwater, NJ (we almost rented a cabin there)- and it's kind of difficult to really label them as any particular genre. There are absolutely country and bluegrass elements in their tunes, but also some trippy psychedelic sounds (listen to the live recording of "Goat" from the Yarmony Grass show, 8/17/2008, available from archive.org), and of course, my favorite- sweet jammy goodness. And why not, when RRE will often toss a Grateful Dead cover into their live repertoire? 

My favorite track changes with every spin- really- but I think I alternate between "Goat" and "Long Way to Go" (The Good Life, 2004, Sugar Hill Records), "Railroad Earth" and "Seven Story Mountain" (which, conveniently, has just rolled up in my playlist- remember the psychic iTunes? From The Black Bear Sessions, 2004, Bos Music), and "Old Man and the Land" (Elko, 2006, SCI Fidelity Records). 

To date, I've heard lead singer Todd Sheaffer drop the F-bomb twice in all of their albums, in "Standin' on the Corner" (Amen Corner, 2008, SCI Fidelity Records). For damn good reason: "Fuckin' price of oil, fuckin' price of heat." Folks, it doesn't get much more honest than that, considering where we've been financially with both of those necessities. Am I wrong?

That's enough for now, methinks. 

Whether you're riding with the top down or just the windows open, enjoy your summer- we're supposed to have a handful of warm days beginning with today, and you better believe I'm ready! 

I just loaded up my iTouch with some of my favorites, including a recording of the totally awesome RRE show I saw in September, which I am spinning as we speak.

does your radio read your mind?

Ever get a song stuck in your head, not a popular song, just any song- and hear it on the radio the same day? 

Happens to me all the time.

How about having a particular favorite song, falling asleep with the radio on, and waking up seconds before it comes on the radio?

Again.. all the time.

What I really get a kick out of, though, is that yesterday I was riding home from Mom-a-tron's house, thinking, "how weird would it be if I started the Jeep on Easter Sunday and heard, like, Metallica (since it's like, "devil music," say some), on the radio (since my radio's never off) the moment it turned over?"

Guess what.

Apparently, I'm psychic. 

My favorite by far, however, is listening to something, anything, shuffle, on my iTouch, and I'm really groovin' to something, and when it's over, I think, "it sure would be awesome to hear (insert catchy tune here) right now," and bing!, it rolls up in my playlist.

Question, and really think about this one:

Does my radio read my brain waves; 

or-

does my brain read the radio waves?

A note...

Dear Summer,

Please hurry. You've been gone an awful long time, and we sure do miss you. We have lots of fun stuff planned for when you get here. Also, can you please bring just a little less rain when you come back this year? We sure do like the mud, but we like riding around with the top down a whole lot more.

Signed,

Ashley's Jeep.

Apparently we had to get that missive out of the way before the real writing could begin. 

But with that being said, summer is coming, folks! Rejoice! Hooray! 

Now that you know I drive a convertible, I'm sure it's of no surprise that one of my favorite things ever is "riding around with the top rolled down and the radio on" (Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant) on a sunny summer day. 

Of course, one must be very selective about what music to broadcast when you know that several other people will hear it. Because of my prudish personality, I refuse to listen to anything that contains excessive swear words, or otherwise obnoxious or offensive content. I'm not sure if you realize just how much this limits the "cool" music selection.

For instance: I would never, ever, listen to, say, ABBA at nearly top volume in the open air & sunshine. ABBA = not cool. Ditto for such artists as Enya or Yanni.

Likewise, you would be hard-pressed to find Guns N' Roses in my playlist during the summer, for although I do enjoy listening to such classics as "Get in the Ring" and "Used to Love Her" in the privacy of my own home, I don't believe that the kids in the minivan next to me need to be exposed to that kind of content or language. And as much!! as I love Blink-182, you will absolutely find me turning down the volume once in a while if I hit an intersection just right. 

I believe in decorum and common decency, and just as it's now illegal to watch porn in your vehicle with rear-facing monitors so that little kids can see it, I feel it should be illegal to play offensive music so loud that little kids (and grandmas and moms and your Uncle Joe) can hear it clearly.

One of my favorites for top-down cruising, and I can tell you right now that this definitely comes from my oldest sister, is Paul Simon's "Graceland" album. And not just because it's inoffensive, cheerful, melodic, and has an extremely high sing-along value. No, this has nearly everything to do with the memory of playing hooky with my sister on a spring day in college, grabbing ice cream and driving around local cemeteries to look for signs of our family tree, in her Cabrio, with the top down. 

I suspect this summer will bring the return of my Bob Marley phase (Bob's always perfect for summertime tune-age, there's no denying that island feeling), and I forsee making a few tough decisions to make room on my iPod for some Sublime. These are summer songs for me, "Badfish" and "Rivers of Babylon" have all the imagery of sunshine, sunglasses, and a heat wave behind them.  

I want to know- what do YOU groove to in the summer? Who thumps your speakers? Do you find yourself going back to a handful of artists from days past, or do you use the summer to find new classics? Tell me. Don't be shy. You might just give me some ideas.

Update on free music...

Hi, out there in Internet land.

Remember a couple months ago when I told you guys all about a handful of ways to get your music fix for free?

I've got an addition to that.

Some of you may know I'm now on twitter (Jeepsterette), which... I can never, ever close because Jeep people keep finding me and they're fun to know... and there's just so freaking much interesting stuff going on with Tony Hawk, Penn Jillette, Dane Cook, PostSecret, and my favorite ever band, Railroad Earth... But my addiction to the latest "news" is beside the point, and I digress.

I have a buddy whom I've known for... I guess... well, let's say at least six years. This guy is responsible for my twitter addiction. You know who you are. But, knowing that I have this thang where I let you all know what I dig for tunes, he said, "http://blip.fm. You need this. For your blog."

Truer words were never spoken. 

blip.fm is like Pandora radio, but on a less playlist, more individual level. You "blip," or search, whatever artist or song title you want to hear, select a track from the pop-up list, and your selection will show in the list below your search bar. You will see your selection for probably a second before it is engulfed by an extremely rapidly changing list of other selections from people all over the world, as they blip their selections. 

You can listen to more tracks you choose to blip, or play something someone else is playing. If you like a song someone else digs, you can give that user "props" on their selection. You can also receive "props" on your selections. I'm not really sure what the point is behind "props" other than it probably shows you have decent taste in music. I give them out as I see fit, I've earned a few, and I listen to whatever the heck I feel like.

Bonus points: blip.fm has a LOT of stuff I would never expect- tons of live Railroad Earth tracks (I couldn't decide what to play first), classics (Jerry Vale - Volare), oldies (the Jamies - Summertime), modern rock, rap, world music... this site definitely runs the gamut on selections. 

Also, you can choose to link your blips to your twitter feed- then, every song you blip will show up on your twitter feed as a tiny url- but you can also pick and choose which blips will tweet. Let's face it- the entire planet does NOT need to know that I'm listening to Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana" after T.I. & Justin Timberlake's "Dead & Gone," correct? 

When your blipped track has finished, it will automatically play the track at the top of the list on your screen- usually from another user's blip. This is awesome if you get a bunch of people who like the same stuff you do, or if you love any kind of new music- and if you don't want to listen to that track, you can skip to the next. These tracks will NOT post to your twitter feed, either. Less embarrassment is good.

Demerits: You may not always get the best quality of a track on your first search- some of my selections, while live (and impressive), were of absolutely terrible Kbps quality. 

Also, trying to give props to someone is tricky, as the list is constantly changing- several times now, I've attempted to click on one user and ended up three ahead of him/her in line because of the constant flow of new tracks. This "wastes" your props, and once you give them, you can't take them back. 

And of course, because it's a streamer, you will probably have some "spots" in the playback. It's supremely annoying, but  you do have a "pause" button, so make good use of it.

Happy blipping, folks.

 

Mark, Tom, & Travis

I know you're all totally sick of hearing me talk about Blink-182. 

But, I have to tell you about +44. 

This is Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker's band... and they are awesome. 

+44 (so named for the international dialing code for the UK) sounds like Blink meets the Cure meets every punk love song you've ever heard- but they're good. 

It's easy to hear the angst and frustration in their lyrics- "Quit cryin your eyes out, and baby come on. It's like there's something familiar about me, the past is only the future with the lights on. So quit cryin your eyes out, baby." ("Baby Come On," When Your Heart Stops Beating) Please tell me none of you can identify with that feeling right there- can you even say that truthfully? Didn't think so.

I've given When Your Heart Stops Beating quite a few spins since downloading it last weekend, however, I don't seem to have much time to listen without multitasking, so I can't really tell you too much about the album in-depth, though I'd like to, because you should definitely check it out. I can tell you that with the warmer weather coming up, you can rest assured that I will be spending more time pounding the trails with my iPod by my side, and I will be able to give this, and other new albums I've acquired, my full attention. In fact, I might even venture out today.

If I haven't heard it, it's new to me!

Some "new" stuff I've heard lately:

Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light (2007, Interscope)

I've only given this a spin or two since purchasing the digital version last week, but I don't dislike it. There are a couple of songs reminiscent of earlier Jimmy, but as with other artists, I've noticed a more modern, mature sound. I'm sure it'll take a little getting used to... but I miss the days when I knew right away if I dug an album...

stellastarr - stellastarr (2003, BMG)

This album is bound to make you want to dance. No joke. It's everything great about 80s music, updated for today. "My Coco" is probably my fave new song, it makes me think of electric pink sweatbands and a hundred movin' bodies in a dark club with neon lights and a hot sound system. Grr, baby.

The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event (2007, under license to Majordomo Records)

I never thought I would be into this kind of music- this triad of 80s/punk/emo- but holy moley, I think I like it! This band takes their name from a Don DeLillo novel, White Noise (of which, after reading it twice, I'm not a fan), and I think that will run through my mind every time I listen to the album, but they do have a very unique sound- classically nouveau, I think is the best way to put it. Give 'em a spin. You won't be disappointed.

I got soul, but I'm not a soldier

(title from The Killers - All These Things That I've Done - Hot Fuss)

After seeing the commercial for the new album a few times on TV, and really supremely hating the five seconds I heard of "Spaceman" and that stupid costume from the video, I decided I really did want the Killers' new album, Day & Age. 

I snagged it from iTunes this afternoon, and lo and behold, we have reached the age of digital liner notes! No longer shall we be forced to sift through thousands of jewel cases, struggling to remove tattered booklets from their jagged edges and insert them into new, equally as fragile plastic shelf-hogging vessels!

It also came with a bonus video, which I've not yet viewed.

Bonus points for the album artwork, digital liner notes, and bonus video for my $11.99 and instant, gasoline-free gratification.

But I'm having a hard time with this album right now. 

I think my problem is getting over the sound of "Hot Fuss." I don't have "Sam's Town" because I was not the world's biggest fan of the first single released from it (see, I don't even know the name, nor do I care). 

"Day & Age" (holy wow, as I typed that, Brandon Flowers sang it) is... well... I'm not married to it. That's not to say I won't be in a couple of days, it's been known to happen, but I think it's really lacking that catch that was so prevalent in "Hot Fuss." 

Let's face it- you really cannot find a much cooler song than "All These Things That I've Done." From the moment I first heard it during Rodney Mullen's part in the Almost skate demo video in 2004, I was hooked on that song. Everything about it speaks to me- the lyrics, the harmony, the chorus, bringing in a freakin' choir, for crying out loud! Awesome. It gets me right there.

Of course, I'll have to give it a few more spins before I can really tell for sure, but I'm officially on the fence with this one right now...