Six Pack

It's been real slow 'round here these last few days. Reckon everyone is busy with school and things much less important than music. The dog days of August are almost upon us, meaning that we have passed the midpoint for the year. Since I love making lists, I figured this Six Pack would include my favorite 6 songs of the year thus far. Yes, some of them are songs I've previously posted but that's why they're up again -- they rock.

1. Spoon -- Black Like Me from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga :: I've really been digging the new Spoon album and I probably could pick three songs from it that would be in contention. For the moment, this is the song. Love the intro with the weaving piano!
[Buy Spoon here]

2. Wilco -- You Are My Face from Sky Blue Sky :: Still not sure about this album, but You Are My Face is crunchy guitar goodness. This shows the power that is Nels on guitar -- see around 1:28.
[Buy Wilco here]

3. Centro-matic -- Atlanta from Operation Motorcide :: I've posted about this song already. Will Johnson is the man and this song is catchy as hell. I'm constantly humming this song throughout the day.
[Buy Centro-matic here]

4. John Doe -- Hotel Ghost from A Year In The Wilderness :: Built on a soaring guitar rift, this song is. It starts a little soft, but as we hear about caressing skeletons, guitar takes off and is oh so good. Me fail english thats unpossible.
[Buy John Doe here]

5. Dinosaur Jr -- Back To Your Heart from Beyond :: Another repost -- a love song only as Dino Jr can write. Of course the guitar hook is nice, but I dig the subtle harmonies late in the song just as much. Go figure?
[Buy Dino Jr here]

6. The National -- Ada from The Boxer :: Yet another repost. The Boxer is probably in my top 3 for albums at the moment and this is my favorite on the disc. I like the story in the song and how the instruments contribute to that story, especially the bittersweet piano throughout.
[Buy The National here]

Welp, that's it for now. Just like a preseason college football poll, this shit is useless until we reach the end of the season. Please feel free to pimp songs for me.

BK

Sunday Six Pack

Man, dem some sweet wheels.

A wise man once said, "Public transportation is for jerks and lesbians." Now, Homer Simpson has said many a true thing in his day, but he clearly was not as lucky as guys like Paul Westerberg, who were hooking up with girls on the defining symbol of American public transportation, the bus. Another reason Westerberg is the man! On the contrary, Michael Stipe watched his significant other leave town on the bus. Ah, who knew that lumbering, rectangular chariot of the people could create romantic rollercoasters? The bus is relevant in the first two songs of this week's six pack; it has nothing to do with the other 4 killer songs.

The Replacements -- Kiss Me On The Bus from Tim :: Westerberg's song of teenage love and rejection gives me thoughts of a long lost High Fidelity scene. Ya know, at the beginning where Rob Gordon makes out with a girl on the bleachers then she's making out with someone else later. This bus scene woulda fit nicely somewhere here. Although not applicable to the aforementioned scene, I can't help it:: "Charlie, you fucking bitch, let's work it out."
[Buy The Replacements here]

REM -- (Don't Go Back To) Rockville from The Best of the IRS Years :: Hey, I love the country of this song. Some of my favorite REM is when they're not doing the typical REM thing (but I still like that too).
[Buy REM here]

HEM -- South Central Rain from No Word from Tom :: Hey, it's only appropriate that a band named HEM would cover a song by REM. Besides, Sally Ellyson's lead vocals sound great.
[Buy HEM here]

Spoon -- My Little Japanese Cigarette Case from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga :: Man, talk about some catchy shit, this is it. In fact, the new Spoon album, which dropped last Tuesday, is bursting with catchy hooks. In other words, Spoon being Spoon.
[Buy Spoon here]

Centro-matic -- Strahan Has Corralled The Freaks from Love You Just The Same :: Love this song, particularly the contrast created by the crunchy guitars paired with the strings. Also can't get enough of the sha la la las....
[Buy Centro-matic here]

Dinosaur Jr -- They Always Come from Bug :: This is the hard chaser after the 5 previous beers (we'll go with whiskey). I'm not usually one to get off on drumming, but Murph's drumming is hypnotic on this song, especially in the beginning. I don't know if this is even considered "good" drumming technically speaking, but damn it reeled me in.
[Buy Dino Jr here]

BK

Sunday Six Pack

This week for the Sunday Six Pack, I took a trip back in time to middle school where, instead of listening to The Chronic and Doggystyle, I listened to the following songs, well at least the first four. The last two are later additions that present Bryan, playing past Bryan, would've listened to in the future.

The Replacements -- Unsatisfied from Let It Be
[Buy The Replacements here]

Dinosaur Jr -- Freak Scene from Bug
[Buy Dino Jr here]

Guided By Voices -- Office of Hearts from Under the Bushes Under the Stars
[Buy GBV here]

Uncle Tupelo -- I Wanna Destroy You from Still Feel Gone [Buy UT here]

Wilco -- Red Eyed and Blue > I Got You (At The End of The Century) from Nashville TN 10/29/2002 [Buy Wilco here]

The Hold Steady -- Cattle And The Creeping Things from Separation Sunday
[Buy The Hold Steady here]

BK

Best album of 2007?

Rachel McAdams rocking a Dinosaur Jr shirt. You can ignore Diane Keaton.

There have been lots of great albums already released in 2007, but in the end, it might be Dinosaur Jr's Beyond that ends up being the best of the best. The band's first with the original trio in 19 YEARS dropped today, on the day of Gerdon's birth, and is flat out sick. You want fuzzy guitars, you got it. You want some hot licks without the musical masterbation, you got it. You want catchy hooks, you got it. You want some solid songwriting, you got that too. Although we've hardly reached the home stretch for the year, this disc by J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph is the early leader for me. Here are two of my favorites from Beyond:

Dinosaur Jr -- Been There All The Time

Dinosaur Jr -- Back To Your Heart

[Buy Dino Jr here and here]

BK

Saturday Six Pack II

Homer endorsing both the drinking and the rocking!

Good evening folks. I was hoping to simply cut and paste last week's 6 pack entry, since the Cardinals and Cubs were supposed to be on TV here. Unfortunately, we got stuck with the Yankees and Red Sox. I'm sick of hearing about these teams. It seems all ESPN talked about this past week was Boston-New York and Brady Quinn. Anyway, enough of my complaining, let's get to the good stuff.

This week I had a hankerin' for rock and roll songs. All of these bad boys have some killer riffs that'll get you headbanging like these two guys

Guided By Voices -- Atom Eyes from Under the Bushes Under the Stars
I've been on a big indie rock kick from the early to mid 1990s. I'm a relative newbie to GBV, but I look forward to diving in even more.
[Buy Guided By Voices here and here]

Pearl Jam -- State of Love and Trust from Thunder Bay Canada 9/9/05
Talk about a hot riff, this live cut has got it!
[Buy Pearl Jam here]

The Drams -- Unhinged from Jubilee Dive
Brent Best and company rocked for years in Slobberbone. With The Drams, that rocking continues.
[Buy The Drams here and here]

Dinosaur Jr -- Let It Ride from Bug
Dinosaur Jr's new record hits stores this Tuesday and it smokes! I have not stopped listening to it for the last month. Let It Ride, dating back to 1988, gives a little taste of the band that might have created the best album of 2007 when it's all said and done.
[Buy Dinosaur Jr here and here]

Lucero -- San Francisco from Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers
Two Cow Garage's new CD brought me back to these guys and their great album from 2006. Songs of lost loves....refreshing.
[Buy Lucero here]

The Hold Steady -- The Swish from Almost Killed Me
By now, all 3 of you know my love for their 2006 album Boys and Girls In America. However, this song, dating from 2004's Almost Killed Me, might be their hardest rocking of all.
[Buy The Hold Steady here and here]

Hope you enjoy this week's Six Pack. Be sure not to chug all of these in an hour or you'll likely be falling down. As Homer Simpson says, "Don't Stop A Rockin'"!

BK