As promised, here's a list of what we played Tuesday night. You can still listen here until next Tuesday. It's listed as "Worst Teenage Booty" but we assure you that we had nothing to do with that.
--MZ--
The Ponys, “Virus Human”
DM: Definitely one of my front runners for band of the year. I don’t care if it’s the same riff in every song, it’s a fucking great riff, and almost all of their songs make me want to get up and hop around a bit. OK, they at least make me want to nod my head. But nod it aggressively.
MZ: For the record this is at best the third best song on the album (maybe fourth or fifth, even) so if you like this one get the CD and mentally prepare yourself for the greatness of “Let’s Kill Ourselves” and “Little Friends” (the best song about cat ownership ever).
(The Sounds of) Kaleidoscope, “Sun Set”
MZ: These guys might be the best D.C. band left. Not that there's much competition.
Archers of Loaf, “Let the Loser Melt”
DM: Every few months I break out Icky Mettle and I say to myself, of course this is the Archers’ masterwork, how can you argue with “Web in Front,” “Wrong,” “Might” and “Plumbline,” it’s hit after hit! But then a month or two later I’ll break out Vee Vee and convince myself that it’s their best work. Perhaps not as loaded with hits, but the guitar playing/sounds on this album are just about unmatched in the history of indie rock. The song structures are insanely inventive too, especially on this track, which completely changes directions about a minute in and keeps you on your toes the whole time. I’ll call it a classic.
Holly Golightly & Dan Melchior, “I’m Feeling Good”
MZ: I’m totally obsessed with Holly, to the point that I have um, I think 14 CDs of hers. I don't necessarily have anything to say about this particular song, but if you're in the D.C. area you should definitely check out her show November 16 at IOTA. If you aren't, here are her tour dates.
Hot Snakes, “Braintrust”
DM: I mean, it’s not like I ever enjoyed Drive Like Jehu or Rocket From the Crypt, so it can’t be that much of a surprise that this really did nothing for me.
Swell Maps, “Let’s Build a Car”
DM: I love this song plenty, but I’ve gotta say that Nikki Sudden’s solo stuff is a lot more up my alley than the rest of this record.
MZ: You should listen to International Rescue, which I have on LP. It's better than the CD. (Although lord knows I'm with you on the Nikki Sudden solo/Jacobites stuff- Robespierre's Velvet Basement just keeps getting better.)
The Flatmates, “Heaven Knows”
MZ: This is so out of print we had to have the guy from the band copy it for us, but apparently Clairecords is planning on reissuing Love and Death so soon you can experience the band I have declared the closest thing to a female fronted Ramones (with the possible exception of Helen Love, but the Flatmates are much better than them) for yourself. I will still be cooler than you, however, because I have the collected demos and b-sides.
P.S. Unless you are British, talking about this band is the only excuse you have for using the word "flatmates." Violate this rule and pay the price.
David Kilgour, “Gold in Sound”
DM: The danger of picking something from the new bin. It’s sort of your duty as a DJ, but it was a lot easier when we were the ones reviewing the records. I loved Kilgour’s last album, and I love The Clean, but I can’t say anything about this song other than that it is total shit.
MZ: Agreed.
Guv’ner, “The Nazarene”
DM: Another one of my beloved off-kilter, mid-’90s indie bands. They can’t really sing, they can sort of play, but they so damn good. Chaz’s voice will probably scare plenty of people off, but I say, just embrace it.
MZ: Why is it that Merge ends up with all of the good couples bands? They had Guv'ner, Butterglory, early Superchunk, now the Rosebuds.
Labradford, “F”
DM: It’s always nice to get requests, to know people are listening. But Labradford? Really? You’re sitting at home, enjoying a relaxing evening, and think to yourself, “This is nice … but what would make it extra nice is if I could just hear some Labradford.” The mind boggles.
The Rondelles, “Fake Fight”
DM: Them guitars are nice and crunchy.
MZ: It's pretty crazy that I have never owned a Rondelles full-length given the number of times I saw them, although it's mostly just because my then roommate beat me to buying them. Even so, I still think their first Teenbeat single was the best thing they released. Has anyone actually heard the Witnesses, Oakley's new band? I know he LOOKS ridiculous now, is that reflective of their music also?
The Oranges Band, “A&R Job”
DM: I felt compelled to play something from the “new” Oranges Band disc. I like this song just fine, but I should have just played “Success,” the best song so far THIS DECADE!!!
The Reigning Sound, “I’ll Cry”
MZ: The Reigning Sound have become one of the two bands I listen to if I'm in a crummy mood on the way to work. I always feel better by the time I get there.
Pussycat Trash, “Pussycat Trash v. Jarvis Cocker”
DM: Pussycat Trash v. Jarvis Cocker would be like Tyson v. Spinks. A much better fight would be DM v. Jarvis Cocker. Put us both in only a pair of shorts and we go toe-to-toe, and film it for one of the “cruel prisoner abuse scenes” in Schindler’s List 2.
Television Personalities, “Where’s Bill Grundy Now?’
DM: Here’s the text of the famous Sex Pistols interview, just in case you care.
MZ: You should care- that was hilarious. Particularly the Siouxsie bits.
The Homosexuals, “Collapsible You”
MZ: These guys have had some excellent reissues lately- I recommend just going ahead and buying the complete recorded works on 3 CDs, it's surprisingly cheap if you order it direct from Morphius.
The English Beat, “Save it for Later”
DM: I’m glad Lemke enjoyed tuning in and hearing this. He’s always up for some ’80s classics.
MZ: These guys are my other "pre-work pick-me-up" band.
The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Some Candy Talking” (Peel Session)
Velocity Girl, “Crazy Town” (Peel Session)
The Pixies, “Levitate Me” (Peel Session)
DM: It was going to be “There Goes My Gun” but when I saw it wasn’t even a minute and a half I thought we should go for something longer. So this one is barely over two minutes, but I think it was a wise switch. The only Pixies track (to my knowledge, at least) that David Lovering has a partial writing credit on.
Ride, “Like a Daydream” (Peel Session)
Dinosaur Jr., “Raisins” (Peel Session)
DM: If we weren’t doing our Peel Sessions thing, there’s no way this would have made the cut. As you can see below, just because I enjoyed reading Our Band Could Be Your Life doesn’t mean it made me like the actual bands anymore. Maybe if ZR starts writing he can try and sell me on this whole Dino Jr. thing.
Mudhoney, “Here Comes Sickness” (Peel Session)
DM: Stupid Sub Pop screwed up in listing the songs. We thought we were playing Mudhoney’s cover of Billy Childish’s “You Make Me Die.” We ended up just playing a Mudhoney song. Ugh. Here comes sickness is right.
Pavement, “The Sutcliffe Catering Song” (Peel Session)
DM: Long one of my favorite takes of any Pavement song. Far superior than the watered-down “Easily Fooled” that became a “Rattled by the Rush” b-side.
Heavenly, “She Says”
MZ: By request for Mai.
Graham Smith, “The Nondescript”
MZ: I was probably the biggest non-Japanese Kleenex Girl Wonder fan there was, and Graham hasn't let me down with his first solo release. This song features the genius line "I'm ugly sure but I am no Tom Petty."
Stereo Total, “C’est la Mort”
DM: Back when I did a radio show regularly, this song set the all-time record for most consecutive appearances. I think I played it nine straight weeks, and I’m not sure anything else even came close.
The Milkshakes, “For She”
MZ: Our Childish fix for the evening, since that Mudhoney thing got fouled up.
Felt, “Primitive Painters”
MZ: I still think Lawrence has the best vocal delivery of anyone ever, and pretty excellent lyrics to boot.
The Wedding Present, “Yeah Yeah Yeah”
DM: One of these days I’ll write a few thousand words on why Watusi is one of the greatest albums of the ’90s (that I’ve only discovered in the past six months).
The Undertones, “Teenage Kicks”
DM: Supposedly John Peel’s favorite song, which Andrew Beaujon confirms in his very nice appreciation in today’s Post. But a look at Peel’s all time Festive 50 from the year 2000 would seem to indicate that it was #2, behind “Atmosphere.” Eh, whatever.
Public Enemy, “Fight the Power”
DM: Our plea to voters across the country, especially in Ohio. C’mon, Ohio. COME THE FUCK ON!!!
Word to the playlist. And a hello. HI DAVE!
Posted by: Sara | October 28, 2004 at 06:09 PM
totally correct that 'success' is one of the best songs of the upsettingly HALFWAY-COMPLETE decade. others include toxic, letter from an occupant, tell balgeary blah blah, ms jackson, and last nite. im sure im accidentally and purposefully forgetting some.
Posted by: PS | October 29, 2004 at 02:59 PM