don’t worry, faithful readers. i’d suggest that you go check out this bad-ass piece of tech, the AudioPad.

(in no particular order)

(and these albums are new to ME this year)

1. The White Stripes – Elephant

I think this is pretty much self explanatory. This album rocks from the outer to the inner. Jack White is a genius — $10,000 on pre-1963 equipment, and turns out an album that sounds like Zeppelin in their prime. I’ve been kicked in the chest by rock.

2. The Postal Service – Give Up

Deathcab for Cutie frontman gives up the electronic emo lovin’. Now, I fully realize how weird “electronic emo” sounds — but this actually works. I’m serious. Shut up.

3. Bobby Bare, Jr. – Young Criminals Starvation League

Fantastic country-core sort of stuff. Something like Palace, but with more of a sense of humour, and a more of a sense of rock. Thanks, Jackson.

4. Spoon – Kill the Moonlight

Regarded as one of last year’s best albums, I finally found it and listened, and I have to agree. Tight musicianship with good beats and a little of the Elvis Costello thrown in with maybe a touch of Billy Joel.

5. David Cross – Shut Up, You Fucking Baby

It’s not music, but David Cross (from HBO’s Mr. Show, if you remember that) is a funny, funny man with a sense of humour like an encyclopedia dropped on your hand. Everyone who has listened to this is legally bound to quote it whenever and whereever. “You been CROSSed, mah-man!“

Thats all for now… perhaps more later.

To quote Bobby Bare, Jr:

Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry, you wrote the only original song…we all still sing along.

Northern State is a trio of white girls from NYC. The Pitchfork Media review was fairly harsh, but hey — white girl rap isn’t exactly on the minds of a lot of people. It is certainly different, yeah, and the feminist vibe is certainly present (props to “Hesta Prynn” for her name). It’s not for everyone, but they do have enough cred to open for The Roots back in the spring… You can download some clips and full songs here.

“Buy into our trap, and we’ll feed you to Venus…”

Got an email from Interpol this morning (the band from New York, not the international crime agency). You may remember them from a number of posts involving them earlier in the year. In any case, they are touring yet again — a smaller fall tour, to which they’ll be pre-selling the Montreal, Toronto, Detroit and Chicago dates. Oh, and they redesigned their site. I liked the theme so much, I ripped it off. Note well that you can change your theme under “setup” on the lower right over there —–>

That is all. Enjoy your theme.

Version 2, with suggestions added:

1. Elvis Costello – Welcome to the Working Week
2. John Cougar Mellencamp – Rain on the Scarecrow
3. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band – Harlan Man
4. Bruce Springsteen – Working on the Highway
5. They Might Be Giants – Minimum Wage
6. Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons
7. Tom Waits – I Can’t Wait To Get Off Work
8. The Creation – Painterman
9. Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time
10. Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
11. Palace Music – Work Hard, Play Hard
12. Uncle Tupelo – Graveyard Shift
13. King Missle – Take Stuff from Work
14. Police – Dead End Job

Clicky on the more to see the commentation…

{more}

I found Springsteen’s “Working on the Highway” track from Born in the USA — while I have a certain, special, special place in my heart for “Glory Days”, “Working on the Highway” is more on-target for this comp.

Hmm… I’m currently reviewing “Allentown” by Billy Joel. Undecided at the moment. (update: negative.) In regards to Kevin’s suggestions of Loverboy and Johnny Paycheck…. well, I’m trying my damnedest to stay away from the album-oriented FM five-oh-clock standards. Gary — Living on a Prayer? Wow. I know you listen to that as you take the train into the salt mines over there in Japan, but it ain’t gonna make it on this comp.

Now. About FLASHDANCE. No, nevermind.

Jackson’s choice of “Welcome to the Working Week” by Elvis Costello has supplanted to top spot on this comp, because it’s perfect in its rockitude. I’ve also moved “Graveyard Shift” to the end of the list, as it appropriately caps the whole thing.

RE: The Ani DiFranco issue. I enjoy Ani DiFranco, I really do. Between Kelly and I, I think we own a handful of CDs. However, Ani DiFranco is a bit of a compilation-killer. I’m trying to maintain the chugga-chugga of the workingman’s day here.

I’m listening to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ at the moment. It’s a great pop song, but referring back to my five-oh-clock frenzy rule earlier, it will be sadly absent.

I also checked out Van Morrison’s “I’ve Been Working”, but it just doesn’t jive with me. Sorry. Also, he mentions making love to someone. Yeesh. Pee-cha-whoo-won-kee Chew-baa-kaa.

Ah, yes. Oingo Boingo’s “Wild Sex (in the working class)”. I am suffering this one at the very moment. It certainly has the driving beat I’m looking for, but no. Certainly not. Waaaatching the gears move! (it does rock a little bit there)

I haven’t been able to find Orbison’s “Working for the Man”, or Haggard’s “Workingman Blues”, but I’m trying.

Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was considered for this comp, but frankly, it would only be depressing and long.

Nugent’s “Workin’ Hard, Playin’ Hard” is about to be previewed, as is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Workin’ for MCA”. I’ve heard the latter, but I’m going to give it a second chance. I am at the moment listening to John Prine’s “Paradise”, but it’s not quite work-themed enough. Oooh! Skynyrd just came on… “Workin’ for MCA” is good. Hmm… it is up for contention. Okay, The Nuge is out.

Just listened to King Missile’s “Take Stuff from Work”. I think it works well… perhaps as some sort of “hidden track”. Tom Wait’s “I Can’t Wait to Get off Work (to See My Baby on Montgomery Avenue)” is fantastic. It’s going on.

Red Hot Chili Pepper’s cover of Bowie’s “Working Class Hero”? Negative.

Devo’s “Workin’ In A Coal Mine”? Eh, no. Ike & Tina’s “Proud Mary”? Hmm… Man, if there was a version that was just the “rough” second half — it’d be on here.

Hah. Okay. The theme to Laverne & Shirley! Yah! No, not really. More later.

Just added The Police’s “Dead End Job”. Also, considering Kevin Spacey’s speech from American Beauty (where he quits).

i was thinking about a theme for a compilation CD yesterday — “Workingman’s Blues” I think it will be called. So far, I’ve got a couple of songs on it.

1. Uncle Tupelo – Graveyard Shift
2. John Cougar Mellencamp – Rain on the Scarecrow
3. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band – Harlan Man
4. Bruce Springsteen – Glory Days
5. They Might Be Giants – Minimum Wage
6. Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons
7. The Kinks – Rush Hour Blues
8. The Creation – Painterman
9. Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time
10. Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
11. Palace Music – Work Hard, Play Hard
12. Tina Turner – Proud Mary

Hmm.. perhaps there is a better Springsteen song… but anyway. Suggest some other songs in the comments. Lucky contestants will get a shabbily decorated CDR of this comp.

I, ben wilson, the undersigned, to solemnly swear that Nirvana’s “In Utero” will rock me until I cannot be rocked by physical means. I said earlier tto m@ that I think that In Utero may very well be the finest album — nay, finest collection of sounds — ever recorded by humans. I stand by that, but I might be biased. A man, rocked as I am, could be biased.

1. finish preparations for 4th of July party that Kelly and I are throwing.

2. consider starting a site for friends to drop links / observations into. yes, it sounds like killoggs, but i’ve expressed my love for them before.

3. on the same subject, kelly told me she has considered creating a site of her own. she even discussed website design with me on the way up to cincinatti yesterday. i was so happy. perhaps set up moveable type for her.

4. get kygeek[dot]org in order.

5. complete “kristin mix volume one (T thru Z)”.

6. actually do some of these things instead of posting your intentions and then not completing them.

Isn’t it some sort of cruel irony that…

Elvis Costello‘s “Radio, Radio” — a plea for radio to not be sucked dry by corporate intentions — is now a “classic rock” staple?