All posts by Lance

About Lance

Lance is an online product developer and content producer based in Austin, TX. He enjoys bourbon, tacos, cocktails, tater tots, live music, karaoke and is hoping one day to run into Sasquatch or a UFO. Or a UFO flown by a Sasquatch.

July Power Songs: “Fuck You”

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True North
True North

“Fuck You”
by Bad Religion
from the album True North
2013
Buy the album on Amazon

I’m cheating a bit with this month’s theme, but give me a break.  I’ve been Hollywood for a week.  Also, June Power Songs were so much fun, and I still have a massive list of tracks I want to slot in there, so since it’s my turn to pick the theme, I’m extending power songs into July.

This post is gonna be quick, like this amazing song from Bad Religion.  I like Bad Religion a lot, but I’m not a disciple by any means.  Their album Stranger The Fiction is definitely in my top 100 albums of all time, but I realize for most Bad Religion fans that’s like saying Wings was Paul’s McCartney’s best band (I should also come clean and say that I don’t really love the Beatles).  But after The Gray Race I kind of lost track of the band.  Until True North.

Continue reading July Power Songs: “Fuck You” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns”

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Singles
Singles

“Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns”
by Mother Love Bone
from the soundtrack to the film Singles
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

The Singles soundtrack is  the most consistently good compilation that came out of the 90s.  I think Chris would agree that by and large, most soundtracks are disappointing in that they have one or two great songs and the rest is just filler.  But with Singles, the music supervisor totally nailed it.  Super music fan and journalist Cameron Crowe directed the film so it’s not surprising.  What was surprising for me at the time, was that the heart of the album wasn’t a track by Alice in Chains or Soundgarden or even Pearl Jam, but rather Mother Love Bone.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns” →

June Power Songs: “Smooth Sailing”

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...Like Clockwork
…Like Clockwork

“Smooth Sailing”
by Queens of the Stone Age
from the album …Like Clockwork
2013
Buy the album on Amazon

I once described this song to a friend as a throbbing erection.  It’s all about potential.  Something’s about to explode.

For my final song in QOTSA week and my latest Power Song selection, I’m choosing “Smooth Sailing.”  Really all you need to know about this track you can pull from the lyrics and the video.

Continue reading June Power Songs: “Smooth Sailing” →

Cover Friday: “Never Say Never”

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Rated R
Rated R

“Never Say Never”
by Queens of the Stone Age (originally by Romeo Void)
from the album Rated R (Deluxe Edition)
2010
Buy the album on Amazon

Yep, it’s a QOTSA week here on MNP, especially if Chris doesn’t get off his ass and post.  That’s right motherfucker.  Called you out.  What are you gonna do?

Sorry, QOTSA does that too me… get’s me in a fighting, fucking or drinking mood.  Sometimes all three.  I didn’t discover this song until a few months ago.  I picked up the reissue of Rated R like any good QOTSA fan would, but I never really gave it a good spin.  Like most of my musical discoveries, this song came into my life via shuffle.  Quickly followed by pounding the back button two times so I could hear it again. Continue reading Cover Friday: “Never Say Never” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Make It Wit Chu”

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Era Vulgaris
Era Vulgaris

“Make It Wit Chu”
by Queens of the Stone Age
from the album Era Vulgaris
2007
Buy the album on Amazon

“Who is your favorite band?”

It’s almost an impossible question to answer and completely unfair to ask, because the response can change based on genre, mood, the weather, what you’re eating, etc.  For years I would say  the Smashing Pumpkins were my favorite.  And while Gish is still in my top ten list of all time and Siamese Dream is up there too (we’ll get into my issues with Mellon Collie at some point), I wouldn’t consider them a favorite anymore.  The Pixies occupy a spot in the favorite list that’ll probably never fade, unless they keep releasing albums (tarnishing the memory of the original releases).  King’s X – the Texas, metal power-trio – will always have a soft spot in my heart.  Are these my favorite bands?  Yes and no.  Yes on some kind of honorary list, but is their current output what’s fueling my fire.  No.  I think the better question to ask is

“Who is the best band in the world, right now?”

The best band in the world right now is Queens of the Stone Age.  The albums are chock full of wonderful and bizarre songs.  Nothing quite sounds the same, but you can always tell it’s them.  And for a long time I’ve wanted to perform a QOTSA song at karaoke, but the Ginger Elvis‘ range is just so huge that most of my favorites are beyond reach,  not to mention unavailable in the book. But I think I might be able to pull off this gem.  Maybe.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Make It Wit Chu” →

June Power Songs: “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”

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We Care
We Care

“Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”
by Whale
from the album We Care
1995
By the album on Amazon

I have no idea where I first heard this, probably either on a CMJ CD sampler, or a Video Music Monthly VHS magazine, but I just know I was  hooked.  It’s one of those songs that just rocks so hard from the very first note.  Continue reading June Power Songs: “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe” →

Cover Friday: “Back in Black”

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Collideøscope
Collideøscope

“Back in Black”
by Living Colour (originally by AC/DC)
from the album Collideøscope
2003
Buy the album on Amazon

It’s hard to improve upon the AC/DC classic which was that band’s stake in the ground, telling the world know they weren’t going anyway following the death of original lead singer, Bon Scott.  When Living Colour decided to include on their first album in over a decade, it took on some new significance.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “Back in Black” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Girlfriend”

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Girlfriend
Girlfriend

“Girlfriend”
by Matthew Sweet
from the album Girlfriend
1991
Buy the album on Amazon

“Girlfriend” is unskippable.  If it comes up on shuffle, I’ll always stop whatever search I was on and listen.  The entire album is an amazing collection of songs.  It’s both timeless and very specifically early 90s.

I remember sitting at home on Sunday nights watching 120 Minutes and desperately hoping Dave Kendall would hint that this song was coming up after the break.  The video featured clips from the film Space Adventure Cobra and it was just the perfect choice for the song.  And who didn’t want that silver-haired, blue jumpsuited vixen as his girlfriend? Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Girlfriend” →

Cover Friday: “A Quick One While He’s Away”

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Immagine in Cornice
Immagine in Cornice

“A Quick One While He’s Away”
by My Morning Jacket w/Eddie Vedder (originally by The Who)
from the film Immagine in Cornice
2006
Buy the DVD on Amazon

Even if you’re not the world’s biggest The Who fan (I’m not), chances are that you’ve heard the original version of this song during the payback scene from the film Rushmore.   The mini-opera runs about nine minutes and is kind of all over the place.  I wouldn’t necessarily called it a fun-filled song (although *spoilers* there’s a happy ending), but there’s something about the way My Morning Jacket and Eddie Vedder bring this song to life that is just so joyful.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “A Quick One While He’s Away” →

June Power Songs: “Three Days”

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Ritual de lo Habitual“Three Days”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Ritual de lo Habitual
1990
Buy the album on Amazon

The first song that came to mind when Chris picked Power Songs as this month’s theme was “Three Days.”  Last year, while prepping for my move to Texas, I found a big cache of MiniDisc mixes I had assembled back in the late 90s.  One of the cover labels read Epix of Rök.  At the center of that mix was this almost eleven-minute monster of a song.  So I’m going on record and saying that “Three Days” is a Power Epic.

Continue reading June Power Songs: “Three Days” →