“1979”
by the Smashing Pumpkins
from the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
1995
Buy the album on Amazon.
The first time I heard this track I hated it. And I continued hating on it for the next dozen or listens. Then the video came out.
“Hey Jealousy”
by Gin Blossoms
from the album New Miserable Experience
1992
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I wasn’t too sure what to post this week. Nothing was really calling out to me, but was just looking at my karaoke playlist and this jumped out. Probably because it’s so much of the same time as Lance’s pick. I never really got into the Gin Blossoms. I think I had this album at one point but got rid of it, but man, this song is great.
“Kill Your Television”
by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
from the album God Fodder
1991
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I had fully intended on picking a song I regularly sing at karaoke because I’m trying to make it a week without being whiney. I didn’t wanna get sucked into the black hole that is “Man, I wish they had ____.” But fuck man, I wish karaoke joints had some Ned’s Atomic Dustbin jams.
“Summerland”
by Everclear
from the album Sparkle and Fade
1995
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I’m not sure how I feel about Lance’s theme for the month, but that’s mostly because it’s been cold and miserable here the past few days, which made it feel like the awful winter is truly never going to leave. Hopefully throughout this month I can get into the right summer song mindset. Regardless, onward.
Ten by Pearl Jam
1991 Epic Records
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In my mind, a perfect album is one you can start playing at track one and go all the way to the end without wanting to hit skip. That’s no small feat in my book. Ever since random access became possible with CDs, I developed a serious case of music ADD. I’ll start a song I like, get to the chorus and want to skip ahead to hear another chorus. Back in the day of vinyl and cassette you pretty much had to let an album or at the very least a side play through to completion. For me, Ten is the prime example of a perfect album. You can set and forget it. Bonus points because it sounds even better cruising down the highway with the windows rolled down.
“Judy Staring at the Sun”
by Catherine Wheel w/ Tanya Donelly
from Happy Days
1995
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Lance posted a Catherine Wheel song, and it made me realize that though we know much (far, far too much) about each other, there are still things to be learned. Like the fact that we’re both big Catherine Wheel fans, which has never once come up in conversation.
“Easy”
by Faith No More (originally by The Commodores)
from the “I’m Easy/Be Aggressive” double A-side
1992 Slash Records
Buy the single on Amazon
Again, this one of those covers that I stumbled across before I had ever heard the original. Thus – in my mind – it’s the superior version. This track kind of fits into the karaoke theme as well… I’m constantly on the hunt for the Mike Patton-pitched version.
“Fade Into You”
by Dinosaur Jr (originally by Mazzy Star)
from a limited edition release
2013
More info here.
J Mascis helped design some limited edition shoes last year, which I knew about, but I somehow missed this cover that was included for people who ordered them. I discovered it last night while prepping for an upcoming duet post.
“Disorder”
by Slayer & Ice-T
from Judgment Night
1993
Buy the album on Amazon
There were a couple of other more mellow duets I had been thinking of posting first for the next #AprilDuets entry, but I wanted to be kind to Lance and completely scrub Thom Yorke out of his head. If Slayer and Ice-T can’t do it, I don’t know what can.
The car started overheating at some point while cruising the streets of downtown Nashville, looking for a dive called 328 Performance Hall. We shouldn’t have been surprised – it was summertime in Tennessee and it was as hot as fuck, the AC was cranked and we were stuck in traffic. I started to panic so we shut off the AC, switched on the heater, opened the windows and tried to bleed off some of the heat that was suffocating the engine. The car kept running, but by the time we finally found the place, we were drenched in sweat. Just two, completely filthy, miserable assholes who wanted to see a show. Continue reading First Concert