agitprop version 2.0

The Greatest Songs Since You Were Born

According to the October 2005 issue of Blender Magazine, here are the top 10 of "The Top 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born":

1. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
2. Bombs Over Baghdad - Outkast
3. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
4. One - U2
5. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
6. Like A Prayer - Madonna
7. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
8. Sucker MCs - Run-D.M.C.
9. Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
10. In Da Club - 50 Cent

This is a perfect example of why I despise top 10 lists. Or maybe it's just popular music I can't stand.

Blender describes this list as "the best tunes of the 80's, 90's and the totally awesome aughts". I assume that Blender's target audience are twenty-somethings like me. Unlike Blender's target audience I don't care much for the crap music mentioned in their top 500 list. Besides Joy Division, Nirvana and some U2, their list leaves little to be desired. I browsed their top 500 list, about half of which were one-hit wonders, and the only songs that stood out were #58 Karma Police (Radiohead) and #236 Where Is My Mind (The Pixies).

I like the eclectic style of Blender's music review section although the mag itself borders on tabloid trashiness. It's like Rolling Stone without the liberal political bent--actually its completely apolitical. Well, at least the folks at Blender didn't put these guys on their list . . .

         

What do you think belongs on a "best of" list of the past three decades? Or maybe we need to go further back in time?

No Sympathy For The Devil

Thirty seven years after penning the fiercely political tune Street Fighting Man, Mick Jagger has written an anti-Bush song titled Sweet NeoCon which will be released on their upcoming album A Bigger Bang. Here's a snippet of the lyrics:

You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite
You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of shit.

I guess Jagger and the old boys still have some spunk left in them. When I heard they were going on tour this fall I asked my uncle how many roadies it would take to push their wheelchairs. I wonder if the wingnuts will be boycotting Stones shows later this year.

Hat Tip: Mrs. Norman Maine in the comments at Lance Mannion

MORE INFO: [NME: Bush Whacked By The Stones] [Drudge: Jagger Rocks Bush, Rice]

technorati: rolling stones music iraq politics war freedom

Two Turntables and a Microphone

There's a destination a little up the road
From the habitations and the towns we know
A place we saw the lights turn low
Jig-saw jazz and the get-fresh flow
-- Beck   "Where It's At"

I experienced an eclectic evening of music last night at the Orange County Fair. I've been wanting to see Beck live for a long time now. My cousin, a fellow musical enthusiast like me, thoroughly enjoyed the show as did I.

I didn't realize that the Pacific Amphitheater was actually inside the fairgrounds. Luckily our tickets included free admission to the fair. The last time I was at the Orange County Fair I must have been twelve years old. I distinctly remember participating in the watermelon eating contest. Walking through the fair last night we were greeted with distinct olfactory sensations of cow dung, barbeque beef and hot kettle corn.

We got a few beers to quench our thirst as we tried to keep cool under the warm Orange County sun. I'm somewhat of a beer elitist who won't settle for your everyday Budweiser. Luckily they had a sweet bar with some good pale ale on tap. That did the trick. We then headed towards the show.

Our seats were up in the last section of the outdoor amphitheater. However the venue is small enough so that the musicians didn't look like pinheads on stage. They also have two large screens on either side of the stage. When we entered the amphitheater the opening act was about two-thirds the way through their set. We were able to catch The Decemberists play Sixteen Military Wives (the only song I know from that band). Their other songs had a Renaissance style to them, with violin, accordion, percussion and acoustic guitar. The band finished their set with a waltz-like ballad that sounded like a mix between a boatman's pub sing-a-long and a hearty Irish jig. I definitely want to check out their stuff.

After about thirty minutes of setting up the stage, Beck came on just as the sun went down over Costa Mesa. He opened the set with Black Tambourine from the new Guero album. His band was stellar. The percussion section included all sorts of wacky and odd instruments, typical of Beck's garbage can eclecticism. One band member was dressed like an 1980's exercise instructor, equipped with silver butt-hugging short shorts and a pink headband. He danced all over the stage doing the robot as well as playing various percussion instruments.

Beck brought out a small harmonium that he got from India on which he performed Nobody's Fault But My Own (one of my favorite songs). They played a few more new songs and then hit up some old favorites from Odelay--Devil's Haircut, New Pollution and Hotwax. He switched from slide guitar, to electric guitar, to even some banjo. Beck busted out some white boy rhymes behind a sweet percussion backing from the band. He even busted out his own version of Nelly's Hot in Here singing "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your shoes." During the entire show there were cool visuals projected behind the stage that resembled the visualizer from the Itunes player.

In the middle of the show Beck did a solo acoustic set of songs from the Sea Change album. The band took a rest, literally, by sitting down at a table on the stage and eating dinner while Beck played the mellow and semi-melancholic Lost Cause, Golden Age and Guess I'm Doing Fine. Beck then called up the band on a cell phone and said he was getting lonely and needed some backup (mind you the band was about ten feet away from where he was standing). So the band finished their meal and returned to their places, not before utilizing their spoons, plates and glasses as percussion instruments. They finished the show with some harder-edged electric versions of Loser, Where It's At, Guero, and E-Pro.

Overall I was very satisfied. I would definitely like to see him again, hopefully at a smaller more intimate venue. Upon playing Loser Beck commented "let's party like it's 1993". That sure reminded me of high school.

Techonrati:  guero music beck

Friday Random Ten: Join the ARFM!

The ARFM (Agitprop's Revolutionary Front for Malta) is an organization that I formed yesterday which seeks the restoration of the Maltese monarchy into the hands of yours truly. My grandmother was Maltese. Before she died in 2001 she used to tell me that I should have been a prince in Malta. She said that our family supposedly had royal blood. I would repeatedly ask her why her family left the island if they were in fact royalty. To that she responded, "I don't know".

That said, I am determined to reclaim my rightful place on the throne of Malta. Would anyone like to join my organization? It will be something like the Iraqi National Congress, except I'm not an asshole like Ahmed Chalabi. If you join I promise you a sweet spot in my royal cabinet.

And now, on with the music . . .

1. Lucky 13 - Smashing Pumpkins

A B-Side from their Greatest Hits album. It's ok. Next.

2. Home Grown - Culture

Some Jamaican guy singing about how fine his home grown weed is, accompanied by guitar and harmonica. It's too early for songs about weed.

3. Numbed In Moscow - Portishead

Now we're talking. This is something mellow to wake up to. I can't take heavy music in the morning. Slow trip-hop beats are just what the doctor ordered.

4. Flutter Girl - Chris Cornell

This guy has one of the best voices in rock today. Taken from his solo album "Euphoria Album" which he recorded in between gigs with Soundgarden and Audioslave. This track is rather Beatlesque.

5. Just Another - Pete Yorn

Although this is a slow one, Pete can rock well. I saw him about three years ago in a small club in the OC.

6. Blue in Green - Bill Evans

Too slow. Next.

7. Further on up the Road - Eric Clapton

Hmm, was this the song Clapton played at The Last Waltz?

8. Los Angeles - Ozma

Sounds like an indie version of late 1990's Weezer.

9. Born of a Broken Man - Rage Against the Machine

Morello and De La Rocha, great combo. Born of a broken man, but not a broken man . . .

10. Nebula - Incubus

From the S.C.I.E.N.C.E. album, back when they were heavy into that space metal sound and Brandon Boyd still had dreads.

Other purveyors of The Friday Random Ten:

Roxanne (Rox Populi)    Norbizness    Amanda (Pandagon)    Lauren (Feministe)

Agitprop in Guatemala, April 2005.

Radio Is A Sound Salvation

I took the plunge. I have professed my love for it before, but now I am an official subscriber/member of KCRW (Los Angeles public radio). They're going to send me a fringe benefits card with discounts to local eateries and attractions. I also get a nifty CD compilation of live performances from Morning Becomes Eclectic. I am already a supporter of KPFK (Pacifica Los Angeles), but also wanted to be involved in KCRW. The mix of great music and NPR/PRI programming on KCRW is so worth it.

Sunday Morning

I love Sunday mornings. Mrs. Agitprop usually takes a nap with Cairo after breakfast. I typically read the paper, drink coffee and lounge around the house. 

Here's a great song which captures that Sunday morning feeling for me.   

            

"Sunday Morning" by The Velvet Underground

Sunday morning, praise the dawning
It’s just a restless feeling by my side
Early dawning, sunday morning
It’s just the wasted years so close behind

Watch out, the world’s behind you
There’s always someone around you who will call
It’s nothing at all

Sunday morning and I’m falling
I’ve got a feeling I don’t want to know
Early dawning, sunday morning
It’s all the streets you crossed, not so long ago

Watch out, the world’s behind you
There’s always someone around you who will call
It’s nothing at all

Watch out, the world’s behind you
There’s always someone around you who will call
It’s nothing at all

Sunday morning
Sunday morning
Sunday morning

The Friday Random Ten (Sort Of)

Inspired by Roxanne, I've started doing the Random Ten every Friday. It's actually a nice way to welcome the weekend. I end up hearing many songs that I forgot I even had. Today's Random Ten is sort of random because I skipped ahead any tracks that were from audio-books or speeches.

1. "Seed" - Sublime

I don't remember ever hearing this song before. That's the beauty of the shuffle feature on a 40 GB iPod. You hear songs that you didn't even know you had.

2. "Universally Speaking" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

A more mellow effort by the Chili Peppers. This song reminds me of summer 2002 which I spent in Berkeley, CA. I listened to this album to death while walking around Telegraph and Shattuck.

3. "Punk" - Gorillaz

Drunken Blur + unintelligible lyrics + electronic buzzing noises

4. "Nothin' to Do" - The Dandy Warhols

I love this band. Their music is just plain fun.

5. "Change Clothes" - Danger Mouse

From The Grey Album, in which DJ Danger Mouse mixed together Jay Z's Black Album with The Beatles' White Album. This song mixes Jay Z's "Change Clothes" with "Piggies". My favorite song on the album mixes "99 Problems" with "Helter Skelter". Charles Manson would dig that track.

6. "Field of Gold" - Sting

I'm not really into any post-Police Sting music.

7. "Little One" - Beck

I love everything this guy does. July 21 baby!

8. "Rock the Casbah" - The Clash

This is the tune Lyndie England and Charles Graner boogied to during late-night torture sessions at Abu Ghraib. Thanks to Alberto Gonzales, they rocked the casbah pretty damn good.

9. "Hard to Make a Stand" - Sheryl Crow

I've always liked Sheryl Crow. She's got that classic rock vibe. This song has some Keith Richards style guitar riffs. There's a line in the song about a girl who gets shot while walking into an abortion clinic. No wonder Walmart banned this album when it came out.

10. "Friend of the Devil" - The Grateful Dead

Al Franken's favorite band. I learned to play mandolin because of this song. 

What songs are in your head today? Please do share. Agitprop enjoys getting musical recommendations.

More Random Ten:   Roxanne   Pandagon   Feministe

Dig Eclectic Music?

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if the Republicans dismantle NPR and turn it into music-only programming, as long as all the music programs were like Morning Becomes Eclectic:

Morning Becomes Eclectic is committed to a music experience that celebrates innovation, creativity and diversity by combining progressive pop, world beat, jazz, African, reggae, classical and new music. Recognized nationally as a forum for promoting a wide range of music ahead of the curve, the three-hour show has become a very attractive whistle stop for both established and emerging artists from around the world.

Believe their hype. It's a great show. In the past month, host Nic Harcourt has had on Beck, Stephen Malkmus and Thievery Corporation to play live sets. He was also featured on PBS Frontline where he argued that "the problem we have is that a lot of good artists are not being heard". Well, he plays the good ones on his show.

You can stream this show from 9am-12pm (pacific time) at KCRW (Los Angeles/Santa Monica NPR). You can also stream live music 24/7 too.

Que Onda Guero?

My cousin just bought us tickets to see Beck at the Orange County Fair on July 21. I haven't been to a show in a while so I'm really looking forward to it. Besides, Beck is one of my favorite musicians. Also, The Decembrists are opening for him. Check out their Wes Anderson style video for Sixteen Military Wives.

Is the main character supposed to be John Bolton as a child?

Everything Old Is New Again

I was listening to some new music on my iPod this morning when a thought popped into my head. Is there such a thing as an authentic, non-derivative artistic or musical style these days? It seems to me that as far as popular music is concerned, we have been recycling the past about every fifteen to twenty years. I don't think this is a bad thing necessarily, as long as disco doesn't keep coming back to haunt us.

I listen to mostly indie, punk and miscellaneous rock. What's hot right now is something I'd call New 'New Wave'. Here's my take on the genesis of New New Wave.

Punk started around the mid-1970s with The Ramones, The Clash and The Sex Pistols (not to mention proto-punk acts like Velvet Underground, MC5, and the Stooges earlier in the decade). Punk expanded stylistically into post-punk in the late 1970s/early 1980s with bands like Joy Division and The Damned. Post-punk went mainstream as New Wave in the early 1980s which was typified by Elvis Costello and all those synthesizer bands.

This musical cycle started over during my high school days in the mid 1990s with the punk-pop revival. Green Day, The Offspring and Blink-182 were all the rage back then. The early 2000s had a swarm of indie bands like the Strokes and The White Stripes. 21st century post-punk bands include Interpol and Franz-Ferdinand. This cycle continues in the mid 2000s with New New Wave bands like The Killers and The Bravery.

Sorry for the lame musical history lesson. I could be completely wrong since I'm not a musicologist. But my point is that authenticity is a slippery concept at best. We live in the postmodern era where everything is a copy of a copy and the original is nowhere to be found. Right now we seem to be experiencing some major 1980s deja vu. We have a two-term, idiotic war-mongering Republican president, there is another Live Aid benefit for Africa and Coldplay is busy trying to be the next U2.