Sunday, December 19, 2010

No blogging on a Sunday.

See you Monday!

Saturday, December 18, 2010: Glasvegas - A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)

Here's a perfect introduction to the upcoming week of Holiday music

From the truly wonderful Glasvegas, here's hoping all your snowflakes feel like kisses this season.

RIP: Captain Beefheart (b. Donald Glen Vliet - January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010)

Don Van Vliet, who became a rock legend as Captain Beefheart, died today from complications from multiple sclerosis in California.


Yes, I hate Justin Bieber precisely because true artists like Capt. Beefheart get shunned while snot-nosed, no talent, no vision little pricks get their hands held into super-stardom

Not that the Captain would have ever wanted a life in the fishbowl, mind you. I'm just saying.

It just seems so unfair.

If you don't own Trout Mask Replica, do yourself a favour and go out and buy it right now.

Right now.

Rest In Peace, O great one, rest in peace.

Friday, December 17, 2010: Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine - Welcome To The Jungle

Pardon me, do you know where you are?

You're in the jungle, baby!

Here's a song that perfectly encapsulates the surreal times we live in. This season, this year, this age.

When you see your co-workers drink up, dance crazily, get flirty with you and then pass out at the company Christmas party, you know you're in the jungle.

When you are fighting with thousands of other shoppers for a parking spot within a mile of the mall, you know you're in the jungle.

When every commercial on the television makes you want to carve your eyes out with shards of broken tequila bottles, you know you're in the jungle.

Welcome to the jungle.

You're going to DIE!

Enjoy.

Thursday, December, 16, 2010: Sean Kingston - Little Drummer Boy

So, I've been working on the Christmas/Holiday selections for next week.

And I just don't know what to make of them.

I mean, to be honest, there is an ocean of "Christmas" music out there, and Christmas music and "cool" usually don't belong in the same sentence.

And it doesn't help that every single person, duo or group on the face of the planet manages to pump out a Christmas album or three during their career.

Christmas with REO Speedwagon? Really?

I'm sure I could have really dug deep to find the coolest cuts, those tough to find tracks, those perfect gems that encapsulate the power and irony and frustration of the modern holiday season, those songs that truly speak out of time and into the place of awe and wonder.

But, the reality is, I didn't. I did about a couple of hours research on this here old interweb, and have come up with some good stuff.

Not great stuff, if I'm honest. No earth shattering discovers or truly genius selections (I'm still giddy over my Black Friday selection, I amaze even myself sometimes.) but good stuff nonetheless.

And besides, there is always that cool contingent who expect songs like Tom Waits singing "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis".  Those misguided musos who always default into obscure hipster mode, especially during this season.  However, I'm just not convinced that those type of songs totally work. In fact, I'm pretty sure I included the Mormon Tabernacle Choir just to piss those people off.

I'm happy with (most) of next week, and as I'm the final arbiter, I guess that's what really matters.  We'll see.

Here's a taste.

Enjoy this little island of joy in this sea of holiday madness.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010: Radiohead - Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box

We are deep into the Holiday season, and soon CSOTD will turn it's trained ears and eyes towards bringing you some appropriate, Seasonal-themed music.

Yes, trying to find cool holiday songs will be a challenge, but the staff here at CSOTD are more than up to the task.

But until then, can I just say "Bah". And, indeed, "Humbug". There. That's how I feel about this time of year.

In fact, with all the traffic and the crowds and the hassle, I really do feel Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box.

I'm a reasonable man, but all you advertisers and TV programmers and interweb scam artists and consumers and just mean people, get off, get off, get off my case.

January can't come soon enough.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010: Alice In Chains - Sunshine

For many years I lived in Norfolk, England. The weather was usually mild compared with the rest of Great Britain, but it was still cold, too cold for my thin blood.

I'm currently living in Nevada, USA.  The desert. In the summer it gets above 100 degrees for months on end. It's glorious. I'm a desert rat.

I don't miss the cold, but I do miss the sunshine. I honestly believe Britain has a different quality of light than the states, I really do. It's like the sun is filtered through crystal before it drops down. The British sunlight, when it shines, is magic.

Here's a very cool song that has absolutely nothing to do with the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun, otherwise known as Sunshine.

But, here in mid-December, I'll gladly take anything that will help me conjure up visions of that most magnificent light.