Thursday, November 25, 2010: Natalie Merchant - Kind and Generous

Happy Thanksgiving.

I promised to explain Thanksgiving to all my gentle readers who may not be familiar with this particular American holiday. Well, I lied.

No, I didn't mean to deceive, it's just that I've been trying to drum up the energy to talk about pilgrims and injuns and harvests and the significance of the cornucopia. And I failed. I cannot, for all the tea in China, care enough about this day to write about it.

However, I do understand my obligations to my word, so while I won't go into the meaning of Thanksgiving in my own words, for those who are interested you can learn to your hearts content here, here and here.

Being thankful has been a recent theme here on CSOTD, and there's a reason for that.  It's been a tough ol' couple of months for yours truly, and I anticipate that this holiday season won't be an easy ride either.

I blogged about being thankful for what you've got.  But today, this Thanksgiving, I would like give thanks, not for my stuff, but for those around me who help me and support me.

You know who you are, even if you don't think you do that much.  My family, friends, those who support my humble blog, you are all so very kind and generous.  And I appreciate you all.  And I want to thank you, thank you.

In the States or not, have a great and thankful day.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010: Talking Heads - Burning Down The House (Live)

"Here's your ticket pack your bag; time for jumpin' overboard

Transportation is here

Close enough but not too far, maybe you know where you are

Fightin' fire with fire"

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day in the US. More people travel during these next four days than any other time of the year.

And, mostly, they'll be on the Highway To Hell.

I mean, let's face it who in their right minds wants to visit family.  More to the point, who wants to go through all the current travel hassles just to get to a place where their self-esteem will be trampled, their dreams mocked and ultimately shattered and really, really obscene amounts of food eaten.

Or, you know, that could be me projecting.

Anyway.

This song serves all purposes for today. It's a keen road trip song, a toe tapping respite in any dreary airport waiting lounge, and it's an anthem for all Thanksgiving get togethers: "I don't know what you expect starring into the TV set." Indeed.

Taken from their amazing live film Stop Making Sense, here's the always amazing Talking Heads with one of their most amazing songs. If you've never seen this movie, sneak away from all the family nonsense for a few hours and treat yourself. You'll be amazed.

Enjoy.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010: Lisa Shaw - Honey

Here's something to get your groove on.

I always lament that nobody writes decent R&B basslines anymore. This song is the exception that proves the rule.

Born in Toronto, Canada, and based out of New York City for the last 12 years, Lisa Shaw has made a name doing deep house, avant-garde hip-hop, trip-hop, acoustic soul and drum & bass.

Today, however, she combines those contemporary influences with some seriously old school soul.

From her second full-length album Free, here's some seriously sweet Honey to pour over your day.

Enjoy.

Monday, November 22, 2010: The Doors - Break On Through (To The Other Side)

I'd like to start by saying that I appreciate all my overseas followers of my humble blog, many thanks for your continued support. Hopefully I do try to keep my content here vague enough that anyone, regardless of country of origin, should be able to enjoy the music I choose for CSOTD.

This week, however, is a pretty big week here in the 'ol US of A. It's Thanksgiving Week. More on what exactly that means later.

Just know that I've decided that this week is to be special.

This week will be all killer, no filler.

And we'll start with an atomic bomb of coolness: the opening track from The Doors self-titled debut album.

Break On Through was not just a song, it was a statement of intent.  This song set up the themes that The Doors and Jim Morrison would explore for the rest of their careers.  And for Jim, the rest of his life.

Everything about this song clicked.

And, yes, I know that Morrison didn't even write this.  But any song about pleasure, destruction, obsession, lightness, darkness, regret, seeing through the lies and trying to explore everything about this life would effortlessly conform to the Morrison cannon.

Everything about this album clicked.  I could easily take a week off and just play a single track each day as it's own CSOTD.  And everyone would smile and everything would be right with the world.

However, everything will not be right with the world now, for this is Thanksgiving Week.

So, let us all put on our best efforts to see this week through.  To break on through, as it were.

To the other side.

Is everybody in?


The ceremony is about to begin.........

Sunday, November 21, 2010

No blogging on a Sunday.

See you Monday!

Saturday, November 20, 2010: PIL - Rise

With the holidays approaching, I just wanted to remind my gentle readers:

Anger is an energy.

Enjoy all the upcoming family time, and may the road rise with you

Friday, November 19, 2010: The Crystal Method - Weapons Of Mass Distortion

I both love and loath schedules.

Part of me loves them, the borderline OCD part of me that likes everything ordered and in place.

Schedules are, in truth, a good thing. Ask any athlete training for a major competition if they are on a strict workout schedule, or if they just work whenever they feel like it.

On the other hand, schedules do get somewhat restrictive. Question those same athletes, and they'll probably say they mix things up once in a while just to keep things interesting, so they don't fall into a rut.

I don't want to say Friday songs have become stuck in a rut, but I must confess that when I come to chose Friday songs, I usually lean towards the loud, the fast, the rocking, the maximum impact songs that break on through the night like a freight train.

So, I'll need to change it round soon, maybe start making some Friday songs sweet, mellow numbers that comfortably ease you into the weekend.

Someday. But not today.

Today, lets crank the volume to 10 and see if we can unleash those Weapons Of Mass Distortion.