Who buys full albums anymore? I sure don’t. But in a singles market, with literally hundreds of thousands of individual songs to choose from, deciding what to buy can be daunting. That’s when peeking over the shoulder of a friend with too much music in his computer and copying like crazy can be helpful. Here are a few glimpses into my iTunes collection:
1. Against All Odds – The Postal Service
Origianlly recorded by some old guys for a movie in the seventies, it was unmothballed and hipped up a bit by remix/neo techno wierdos The Postal Service for the Wicker Park soundtrack.
2. Everybody Hurts – Dashboard Confessional
Origianlly crooned by REM in the nineties this upbeat ditty was recently tackled by co-founders of the emo music movement , Dashboard Confessional as part of the MTV2 Album Covers Series
3. I Will Survive – Cake
Originally recorded for eight-track users I Will Survive became iPod worthy when Cake, best known for their hit Sheep Go To Heaven, gets through with it on their album Fashion Nugget. (There is an explicit and clean version of this song available on iTunes)
4. I Love Rock n’ Roll – Hayseed Dixie
Originally recorded by Joan Jett back when I could rollerskate, this rocker gets rednecked real nice by country hillbilly-rockers Hayseed Dixie. Whereas the original made you want to pump your fist and wear leather, this remake will make you want to watch NASCAR and date your sister.
5. Wonderwall – Ryan Adams
Originally recorded by Oasis in a very stoic British way, this hook-laden song drips with melancholy when whined by americana-alt.rocker Ryan Adams on his Love Is Hell Pt.1 release.
1. ALBUM: Verve Remixed Volume 3
Verve (a label) owns classic master recordings from some of the the world’s greatest jazz performers. These original recordings are remixed by today’s most progressive techno/ambient gurus for a new generation. Volume Three is my favorite. Includes songs by Nina SImone and Billie Holiday tweaked out by Danger Mouse and The Postal Service
2. ALBUM: Hotel by Moby
This album is more fodder for commercials and more temptation to dance when no one’s looking from the bald man at the computer.
3. ARTIST: Apt. Core
Apt. Core is Will Hunt, drummer for Watermark, Shane and Shane and others, who aptly combines his love of scripture, drum loops and world music.
4. ARTIST: ANDY HUNTER
Featured on soundtracks and on tour with Delerious, this brit beat bouncer melds his Christian worldview with computers and turn-tables to craft sonic landscapes that can relax or make standing still impossible.
1. Hit Me Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
2. Sunshine Day – The Brady Kids
3. Nine To Five – Dolly Parton
4. Stronger – Christina Aguilerra
5. Daybreak – Barry Mannilow
6. Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly
7. The Reason – Hoobastank
8. All About The Banjamins – P.Diddy et al
9. All Star – Smashmouth
10. Battle Hymn Of The Republic – Stryper
11. Survivor – Destiny’s Child
1. Every Season – Nichole Nordeman
A poetic piano ballad using unpredictable lyric and melody to shed new light on an old theme.
2. Cathedrals – Jump Little Children
An amazing revelation by an outsider of the Church about how the place called church, and everything else in the city, hints at Someone greater behind the stained glass and concrete.
3. In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
More honesty about the human condition and our need for a spiritual solution than the average writer in the Christian music machine has been capable of producing…without cliches or simple answers.
4. Tony – Patty Griffin
Somehow Mrs.Griffin manages to write an energetic addictive head-bobbing song about a “little faggot” who “pulled out a gun and blew himself away.”
More of my iTunes later. What are listening to?
Got thoughts? Discuss this SHLOG on my message-board
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Hit Me Baby One More Time??
Manilow????
Come on, man!
Those heavy influences on the new record??
With you, however, on Every Season and Tony–2 slam-bang terrific songs. Have 2 new Coldplay songs, Speed Of Sound and Talk, on repeat, as well as parts of the new Doves record and, at the other end of the musical spectrum, Lalah Hathaway, Bobby Valentino, and the new India.Arie single.
Peace–BB
Great list! I’d once asked a friend of mine to give a list of essential songs but he never did. I think yours will be a good start. Thanks!
Interested. Keep Blogging!