Valentine's Day 2012 Show

This week's show falls on Valentine's Day and it's a big gift to my wife! She has to put up with listening to quite a bit of "spouse-inappropriate" music over the years so I've picked artists she likes and love songs that won't make you cringe! Thanks to the vagaries of college radio technology, the mike wasn't working very well today, apologies for the hollow sounding back announcing.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (new version) (New Blood, 2011)
Roxy Music - More Than This (Avalon, 1982)
The Go-Betweens - Finding You (Oceans Apart, 2005)
Hem - Valentine's Day (I'm Talking With My Mouth EP, 2002)
The Innocence Mission - Since I Tell You My Every Day (We Walked In Song, 2007)
Kelly Hogan - I'll Go To My Grave Loving You (Because It Feel Good, 2001)
The Lilac Time - I Want To Be Your Man (Lilac6, 2001)
XTC - Then She Appeared (Nonsuch, 1992)
Lloyd Cole - What's Wrong With This Picture? (The Negatives, 2001)
The Sound - Hand Of Love (Thunder Up, 1987)
Nick Cave - (Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For? (The Boatman's Call, 1997)
Stan Ridgway - Anything For You (The Complete Epilogues, 2011)
Mick Karn - When Love Walks In (feat. David Sylvian) (Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters, 1986)
Snow Patrol - You Are My Joy (live) (Live At Somerset House, 2005)
Astrid Williamson - To Love You (Never Enough, 2003)
Kate Bush - The Sensual World (The Sensual World, 1989)
Boh Runga - Not Given Lightly (V/A - Stroke: Songs For Chris Knox, 2009)
The Frank And Walters - I'm A Believer (After All EP, 1992)
The La's - There She Goes (radio session) (BBC In Session, 2006 - originally released in 1988)
Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself (The Flat Earth, 1984)
The Magnetic Fields - The Book Of Love (69 Love Songs, 1999)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Battery-Powered Flowered Love (The Valentine EP, 2000)
Syd Straw - Marry Me (Pink Velour, 2008)
Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl Of My Dreams (Strange Man, Charmed Man, 1979)
The Lemonheads - Into Your Arms (Come On Feel The Lemonheads, 1993)
R.E.M. - Arms Of Love (Man On The Moon EP, 1992)
Del Amitri - More Than You'd Ever Know (Move Away Jimmy Blue EP, 1990)
Wilco - I Got You (At The End Of The Century) (Being There, 1997)
Robyn Hitchcock - I Feel Beautiful (Jewels For Sophia, 1999)

2-7-2012 Show

Last week I did my annual purge+renew whereby I take between 50 and 100 CDs up to Bullmoose and Maine and trade them in for something much better. I always feel cleaner after I've jettisoned old stuff that either never did it for me or simply hasn't kept my interest. So this week I'm including some of my new interests - the Canterbury scene (Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers), the Cramps, 21st century indie rock (Odonis Odonis) and some sad women (Sandy Denny).

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Matching Mole - Gloria Gloom (Little Red Record, 1972)
Nick Mason - I'm A Mineralist (Fictitious Sports, 1981)
Robert Wyatt - Heaps OF Sheeps (Shleep, 1997)
Kevin Ayers - Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes (radio session) (The BBC Sessions 1970-1976, 2005 - originally released in 1974)
Neats - Caraboo (Neats, 1983)
The Cramps - New Kind Of Kick (File Under Sacred Music, 2011 - originally released in 1981)
Margot Smith - Life Time (Sleeping With The Lion, 1993)
The Innocence Mission - Broken Circle (The Innocence Mission, 1989)
Sandy Denny - Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (radio session) (The Best Of The BBC Sessions, 2008 - originally released in 1973)
Bachelorette - Down In The Street (The End Of Things, 2005)
The Verlaines - Ready To Fly (Ready To Fly, 1991)
The Wannadies - Might Be Stars (Be A Girl, 1994)
VKTMS - Teen-Age Alcoholic (VKTMS, 1997 - originally recorded in 1982)
Protex - Don't Ring Me Up (Don't Ring Me Up 7", 1978)
Punishment Of Luxury - Puppet Life (Laughing Academy, 1979)
Joe Jackson - Got The Time (Look Sharp!, 1979)
Crooked Fingers - Your Control (feat. Neko Case) (Forfeit/Fortune, 2008)
Drive-By Truckers - A Ghost To Most (Brighter Than Creation's Dark, 2008)
Jason & The Scorchers - Gettin' Nowhere Fast (Halcyon Times, 2010)
Odonis Odonis - New World (Hollandaze, 2011)
Disco Inferno - It's A Kid's World (The 5 EPs, 2011 - originally released in 1994)
The Red Crayola - Born In Flames (feat. Lora Logic) (Born In Flames 7", 1980)
T.I.T.S. - Void (Second Base, 2009)
Propaganda - Dream Within A Dream (A Secret Wish, 1985)
Black Swan Lane - Tired (A Long Way From Home, 2007)
Roddy Frame - Western Skies (Western Skies, 2006)
Sally Timms - This House Is A House Of Trouble (featuring Marc Almond) (This House... 7", 1987)

Compiling Devo rarities

Every so often I realize I haven't delved deeper into a favorite artists' catalog. I particularly enjoy digging through b-sides and non-lp material as great bands litter their singles with gems. A while back I ran into stalwart listener pblfsda on the T and we were chatting about Devo. He recommended I check out the _Pioneers Who Were Scalped_ compilation as it has lots of rarities and the best bits from the later years. The oddities are great - I love the General Boy spoken word stuff, and it does have the four good tracks from "Oh No" and "Shout", but the rest of disc 2 is, frankly, awful! I was inspired to put together my own compilation of b-sides and outtakes from a variety of sources. Stuff like "Find Out" and "Part Of You" are better than almost all of "Oh No" and _Recombo DNA_ has some excellent outtakes. I excluded some worthy tracks only because I have them on my import version of "Q: Are We Not Men". Here's my tracklisting:

I'm A Potato (from Hardcore Vol. 1)
Mongoloid (single version, found on Pioneers)
Jocko Homo (single version, found on Pioneers)
We're All Devo! (from Pioneers, found on Pioneers)
Mechanical Man (from Greatest Misses - an early demo)
Be Stiff (non-lp single)
Duty Now For The Future! [General Boy] (found on Pioneers)
General Boy Visits Apocolypse Now [General Boy] (found on Pioneers)
It Takes A Worried Man (found on Pioneers)
Turn Around (b-side)
Make Me Dance (Recombo DNA)
Time Bomb (Recombo DNA)
Nu-Tra Speaks (found on Pioneers)
Mecha-Mania Boy (non-lp single)
Peek-A-Boo! (Dance Velocity) (remix from _Oh No_)
That's Good (from _Oh No_)
Big Mess (from _Oh No_)
Find Out (b-side)
Part Of You (outtake that is found on the Infinite Zero version of "Oh No")
Modern Life (Recombo DNA)
Faster And Faster (Recombo DNA)
One Dumb Thing (found on Pioneers)
Love Is Stronger Than Dirt (Recombo DNA)
Shout (the only good song on _Shout_)

Emergency show

Last night, instead of working on the Midwest show, I spent a couple of hours in the emergency room of my local hospital, so why not do a show with just that theme? My boy's fine but now you can enjoy this mix of punk, new wave, and downbeat rock.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
999 - Emergency (999, 1978)
Stiff Little Fingers - State Of Emergency (Inflammable Material, 1979)
The Undertones - Emergency Cases (Teenage Kicks single, 1978)
Rezillos - Ambulance (radio session) (Digital distribution, 2009)
Just Urbain - Hospital Bed (V/A - Shakedown! Brisbane Punk Rock (1979-1983), 2005 - originally released in 1980)
Glide - Spin Doctor (Open Up And Croon, 1995)
The Chills - Martyn's Doctor Told Me (Secret Box, 2001)
The Stereo Bus - Mental Hospital (Hey Thank You single, 1999)
The King Of Luxembourg - Trial Of Dr. Fancy (V/A - Too Good To Be True, 2005 - originally released in 1986)
Killer Pussy - Teenage Enema Nurses In Bondage (Teenage Enema Nurses In Bondage single, 1982)
Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor! (Into The Gap, 1984)
Whiskeytown - Nurse With The Pills (radio session) (Strangers Almanac reissue, 2008)
Thomas Feiner & Anywhen - Scars And Glasses (The Opiates (Revised), 2008)
Patrick Duff - Rock'n'Roll Doctor (Luxury Problems JP edition, 2005)
Hofman - Follow The Ambulance (Reach Around Hofman EP, 1998)
The Replacements - Take Me Down To The Hospital (Hootenanny, 1983)
The Proletariat - Scars (Soma Holiday, 1983)
Dangerous Birds - Emergency (V/A - Laughing At The Ground single, 1982)
Prolapse - Black Death Ambulance (Pointless Walks To Dismal Places, 1994)
Sleeper - Big Nurse (Alice EP, 1993)
The Convent - Scars (About Kings And Queens And Stolen Bicycles, 2002)
All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors - Emergency Turn Off (Turning Into Small, 1998)
Billy Bragg - A Nurse's Life Is Full Of Woe (Talking With The Taxman About Poetry reissue, 2006)
Tiger - I'm In Love With RAF Nurse (Race EP, 1996)
Jesse Malin - Scars Of Love (The Heat, 2004)
Sisters Of Mercy - Doctor Jeep (Vision Thing, 1990)
Swell Maps - Doctor At C. (Collision Time Revisited, 1989 - originally released in 1979)
Cop Shoot Cop - Ambulance Song (Release, 1994)
Second Layer - State Of Emergency (State Of Emergency EP, 1980)
Wire - Ambulance Chasers (live) (The Ideal Copy, 1987)
Justin Sullivan - No Pain (live) (Big Guitars In Little Europe, 1995)

Rain show

This week's theme is inspired by the warm winter we've been having and all the rain that's come down. Do you know how many songs have been written about the rain?! I could've filled out half this playlist with just songs from New Zealand bands, I guess it rains a lot down there! Hear some from Robert Forster, Snapper, Sons And Daughters and more! I'm still getting the hang of my new Linux box and only just discovered I set the native audio recording software to record in mono! Next week I'll have it all worked out.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Robert Forster - If It Rains (The Evangelist, 2008)
Immaculate Fools - Rain (Woodhouse, 1995)
Marcellus Hall - One Drop Of Rain (The First Line, 2011)
The Triffids - Raining Pleasure (Raining Pleasure mini-LP, 1984)
Let's Go Naked - Rainshower Me (Insides, 2007 - originally released in the late 80s)
Weddings Parties Anything - Rain In My Heart (live) (They Were Better Live, 1999)
The Pterodactyls - Every Time It Rains (V/A - Outnumbered By Sheep, 1986)
The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - I Like Rain (Love Songs, 1988)
Snapper - Rain (Shotgun Blossom, 1990)
The Bads - Feels Like Rain (Earth From Space, 2005)
Lanky - Here Come The Rains (Wait, 2000)
John White - Goodbye To Rainy Days (Mogwash, 2006)
Demarnia Lloyd - Rain (Set Upon A Curve, 2002)
Close Lobsters - Going To Heaven To See If It Rains (Forever Until Victory! The Singles Collection, 2009 - originally released in 1986)
TV21 - It Feels Like It's Starting To Rain (Snakes And Ladders: Almost Complete 1980-82, 2010 - originally released in 1981)
Fantastic Something - If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain) (V/A - I'll Give You My Heart, I'll Give You My Heart, 2008 - originally released in 1984)
The Suede Crocodiles - Stop The Rain (Stop The Rain single, 1983)
Sons And Daughters - Come In Out Of The Rain (Dance Me In single, 2005)
True Believers - The Rain Won't Help When It's Over (Hard Road, 1994)
Dave Couse - Will It Ever Stop Raining? (Genes, 2003)
Seafood - Psychic Rainy Nights (Messenger In The Camp, 1999)
The Pogues - A Rainy Night In Soho (Poguetry In Motion EP, 1986)
The Raincoats - Rainstorm (Moving, 1983)
Annie Lennox & Paul Buchanan - Here Comes The Rain Again (live) (Digital distribution - originally released in 1995)
The Dambuilders - Hibachi In The Rain (A Young Person's Guide, 1989)
Guadalcanal Diary - Pray For Rain (Jamboree, 1986)
The Railway Children - After The Rain (radio session) (The Radio One Evening Show Sessions, 1993)
I Am Kloot - Morning Rain (Natural History, 2001)
Nick Lowe - Raining Raining (live) (The Doings, 1999)
Scott Walker - It's Raining Today (Scott 3, 1969)
Vangelis - Tears In Rain (Blade Runner Trilogy, 2007 - originally released in 1982)

Compiling Husker Du

I was never much of a fan of the hardcore scene, though I do like bits and pieces. When it came to Husker Du, I liked the poppier side of their output, and fortunately I had a friend who made me a great sampler tape which formed the basis for this compilation. Another friend, years later, offered his suggestions and I added in Allmusic's picks from each album. After reviewing it all I came up with 2 playlists of 16 tracks each. I know there's more room on each disc but this captures everything that was great about the band and shows off their tremendous songwriting. As I've said, sometimes less is more.

Disc 1 (82-85):
1. Sunshine Superman (Everything Falls Apart)
2. Everything Falls Apart (Everything Falls Apart)
3. In A Free Land (Everything Falls Apart)
4. Real World (Metal Circus)
5. It's Not Funny Anymore (Metal Circus)
6. Diane (Metal Circus)
7. Something I Learned Today (Zen Arcade)
8. Never Talking To You Again (Zen Arcade)
9. Chartered Trips (Zen Arcade)
10. Pinks Turns To Blue (Zen Arcade)
11. Turn On The News (Zen Arcade)
12. Flip Your Wig (Flip Your Wig)
13. Makes No Sense At All (Flip Your Wig)
14. Hate Paper Doll (Flip Your Wig)
15. Green Eyes (Flip Your Wig)
16. Games (Flip Your Wig)

Disc 2 (85-87):
1. New Day Rising (New Day Rising)
2. Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill (New Day Rising)
3. I Apologize (New Day Rising)
4. Celebrated Summer (New Day Rising)
5. Terms Of Psychic Warfare (New Day Rising)
6. Books About UFOs (New Day Rising)
7. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely (Candy Apple Grey)
8. Sorry Somehow (Candy Apple Grey)
9. Too Far Down (Candy Apple Grey)
10. Hardly Getting Over It (Candy Apple Grey)
11. These Important Years (Warehouse)
12. Ice Cold Ice (Warehouse)
13. Could You Be The One (Warehouse)
14. Up In The Air (Warehouse)
15. Eight Miles High (single a-side)
16. All Work And No Play (Don't Want To Know b-side)

1-17-2012 Show

This week is themeless, with new stuff from The Joy Formidable, The Lucy Show, and The Kills, obscure stuff from NNB, Asylum Street Spankers, and Clive Pig, and a mix of more great underground rock! Unfortunately, a technical glitch on my end prevented me from recording the show with my scintillating commentary, so you'll just have to do with the music itself. Here's the bits worth repeating:

The Joy Formidable's debut EP was OK and showed promise - their debut album delivers in spades.
The Lucy Show track is from an aborted reunion in 1993 and it shows the grunge influence at the time.
Kitchen's track, as is usually the case with Peel sessions, is a clearer mix of a great track with a better vocal/guitar balance.
The Kills are often compared to The White Stripes but this track is beyond anything the White Stripes have done.
The Be Bop Deluxe track is from a fantastic *8* CD career overview of Bill Nelson.
I dig that Flock Of Seagulls track, off the same album that gave us "I Ran", in part because it's more guitar-y.
Charlotte Gainsbourg is backed by two members of Air and sings lyrics written by the guys from Pulp and The Divine Comedy.
Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire singing Johnny Cash? That's pretty damn cool!
NNB is one of those bands that released less than half a dozen tracks but deserves to be remembered.
"Fiery Jack" by The Yummy Fur is a 48 second cover of The Fall's song!
"Jumper Clown" is a cover of a Marc Riley & The Creepers song. Riley had been kicked out of The Fall and this was his response to a live song they'd been doing, "Hey Marc Riley". The jumpers refer to MES' clothes of choice at the time.
Momus is interpreting a Jacques Brel song, "Jackie". His name is Nick Currie, hence the change in title.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
The Joy Formidable - Whirring (The Big Roar, 2011)
The Lucy Show - She's Going Down (Remembrances, 2011)
Kitchens Of Distinction - Four Men (Peel session) (Digital distribution - originally released in 1992)
The Kills - Future Starts Slow (Blood Pressures, 2011)
Be Bop Deluxe - Panic In The World (Juan Les Pins mix) (The Practice Of Everday Life, 2011 - originally released in 1978)
Andy Prieboy - The Same Great Guy With A Great New Look (Every Lady Gets A Song EP, 2011)
A Flock Of Seagulls - Telecommunication (A Flock Of Seagulls, 1982)
Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 (5:55, 2006)
Family Cactus - Coal Town (Come Howling, 2009)
White Swan Black Swan - Ode To Sergio (Castle Of Useless Junk EP, 2008)
Marshmallow - Anytime Soon (Marshmallow, 2005)
Ghost Club - Ghost Club Theme Song (Ghostclubbing, 2002)
Stephen Mallinder - I Walk The Line (V/A - 'Til Things Are Brighter, 1988)
Asylum Street Spankers - Funnel Of Love (V/A - Hard-Headed Woman, 2004)
Paul Burch - Life Of A Fool (live) (V/A - Bloodied But Unbowed, 2006)
Cordero - Close Your House Down (V/A - For A Decade Of Sin, 2005)
The Dawn Parade - Wider Than The January Skies (Caffeine Row single, 2002)
Low Pop Suicide - Disengaged (On The Cross Of Commerce, 1993)
Matthew Sweet - Superdeformed (V/A - No Alternative, 1993)
Adorable - A To Fade In (Against Perfection, 1993)
NNB - Slack (Slack New World 7", 1978)
The Yummy Fur - Fiery Jack (Kinky Cinema, 1997)
The Wedding Present - Jumper Clown (It's A Gas EP, 1994)
Bruce Gilbert - Eline Cout II (The Shivering Man, 1986)
French Frith Kaiser Thompson - March Of The Cosmetic Surgeons (Invisible Means, 1990)
Momus - Nicky (Nicky EP, 1986)
Mark Kozelek - Rock'n'Roll Singer (Rock'n'Roll Singer EP, 2000)
John Greaves - The Price We Pay (with S'Ange & Kristoffer Blegvad) (Songs, 1994)
Clive Pig - Too Much Talk (A Whale Of A Tale, 2005)