Song of the Day: Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank

I remember going to a party the summer after college ended where this album was playing, and though I had never heard it before, this song was stuck in my head for days. Just maybe the repetitive lyrics are to blame (there are fewer than 10 words in the almost 7-minute song), but the changing tempos and beats keep it from getting stale.

Song of the Day: The Shins - Girl Inform Me

I recently read that The Shins are working on a new album, which I think I'm excited about. There was a time around when their second album came out that they were one of my favorite bands, and I still think the first two albums are the shit. But I didn't find the third LP all that fascinating, and I didn't care much for lead singer James Mercer's Broken Bells, so I'm hesitant to get my hopes up too much.

But still...the first album especially...it's just so good (here I find it necessary to validate my fandom by repeating that I was listening to them pre-Garden State and was lucky to see them play to about 100 people back then). While "New Slang" is probably the best song, it was so overplayed that I feel the need to share something else, and there are so many great songs to choose from, this isn't exactly a chore. So here's "Girl Inform Me," one of many perfect pop songs from Oh, Inverted World.

Song of the Day: The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog

I felt the need for something raw this morning, and it doesn't get much rawer than The Stooges. I played this song when I was a guest DJ on Indie 103.1, which I detailed in the first song of the day. Play it loud.



You can listen to my complete Indie 103.1 playlist here

Song of the Day: Sam Roberts - Bridge to Nowhere

Sam Roberts is a lot like Sloan, and I don't just mean because they're both Canadian. Both play catchy, rock songs that sound ready for the arena, and for whatever reason, neither band has anything more than a cult following in the U.S. I'm going to see Sam Roberts Band tonight at the Troubadour, and I'm hoping they put on as good a live show as their counterparts.

Song of the Day: A Place to Bury Strangers - Ocean

A Place to Bury Strangers sounds like the love child of The Cure and My Bloody Valentine. And like the latter, I want to like them more than I actually do - when everything comes together, the songs sound great; when they don't, it just sounds like noise to me. "Ocean" works for me, and if you like it, I'd recommend also checking out the Daytrotter version.

Song of the Day: Aimee Mann - Driving Sideways

I first came to know Aimee Mann's music via the movie Magnolia, and I distinctly remember downloading some of the songs from Napster (gasp!). Her album Bachelor No. 2 was released shortly thereafter, and this song has long been a favorite of mine. Bonus points are awarded for the album being produced by Jon Brion and featuring Largo regulars Grant Lee Phillips and Benmont Tench.

Song of the Day: Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

I'm really enjoying the AV Club's "My Favorite Music Year" series, and the most recent one, which focuses on 1979, inspired me to share a song from that year. I've already shared some of my favorites - Gang of Four, Buzzcocks, Fleetwood Mac, The Heartbreakers, and just yesterday, Elvis Costello, and just listing those out makes me realize this was indeed a pretty extraordinary year.

And perhaps no career became more extraordinary than Michael Jackson's, which began in 1979 with his first solo album, Off the Wall. It spawned a few hits, but for my money, none is better than the disco-funk of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."

Song of the Day: Elvis Costello - Accidents Will Happen

I've blogged about Elvis before - no, not that one, this one - but after seeing Costello in concert last week, I realized I had never posted a song of his on the blog. It's extremely difficult to pick one song from such a prolific artist, but if asked at gunpoint, I'd have to go with "Accidents Will Happen." Not only is the album version extraordinary, but the live version, originally released on a 7-inch along with the Armed Forces LP, illustrates how fantastic a songwriter Elvis Costello is, as it's just him and a piano. Check out both versions below.

Song of the Day: Raphael Saadiq - Movin' Down the Line

I'd never heard of Saadiq a month ago, but after reading some interesting reviews of his new album, Stone Rollin', I thought I'd check it out. I also know nothing about his first group, Tony! Toni! Tone! (except a vague memory of them being on SNL back in the day), but this new album makes me want to check out more of what he's done. It's got a very loose vibe, a little bit of R&B and Soul, and a little bit of Rock.

Song of the Day: Zach Galifianakis - Up in Them Guts

The mag Chunklet released this song as a 7-inch picture disc, and while it's definitely a novelty (I've probably listened to it once before today), I feel compelled to post today, as I'm going to see Zach at a charity event at Largo tonight. I'm really hoping Fiona Apple is there, and I'm secretly hoping they don't play this song.



Here's a shot of both sides of the vinyl:

The blog is on hiatus this week

But will return Monday, May 16