I listen to a lot of podcasts so doing this has brought me back into the music fold as of late. And I’m glad because I’d forgotten some of the simple pleasures that go with listening to tunes. Here again is what happened when I hit shuffle on my Ipod. Nothing has been omitted.

Interpol – Wrecking Ball

Law of diminishing returns? Interpol’s first album is an all out masterpiece. The second album, while not as good still has it’s great moments. This song, off their third release sounds great after giving it a long rest. Maybe it’s context, but this album may require a second listen.

Make Up – Joy of Sound

In the late 90’s no one was making music as important as this. Groovy, hard and dirty all at once. These guys changed indie rock forever and only a few people were witnesses.

Iggy Pop – Sister Midnight

The mountain of coke that fueled this low key funk jam had to be as high as the Berlin wall. Seems unstuck in time even though it was recorded in 1977.

Virgin Prunes – Pagan Love Song

I had to take the Ipod out of my pocket to see who this was. It harkens back to a simpler time for me but listening to someone sing about his wet dream wasn’t something I’d do twice.

Bright Black Morning Light – All We Have Broken Shines

More stony weirdness that could be a Mazzy Star song sung by someone who got a hold of the downers Iggy had to do to come down from recording The Idiot.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Ain’t No Telling

If Hendrix wasn’t a genius, then the sky isn’t blue. Fast little tune that showcases how tight his band was as well.

Amusement Parks on Fire – Wiper

One of those bands that I don’t know where they came from or where they went but right in my damn wheel house. Shoegazery with a stoner rock edge. This is what I want to hear as I head off into the void. Scratch that. I want to listen to “Into the Void.”

Superchunk – Trash Heap

When I think of what my life was like in the early 90’s, Superchunk is the soundtrack. The little riff and break down in this song? It’s just so right it gives me the shivers.

Johnny Cash – Rowboat

Keep em coming Ipod. Cash may have been ailing when he recorded these latter albums but he was still bad as shit. I think this is a Beck cover and it never sounded better in Johnny’s capable hands.

The Geto Boyz – 1,2, the 3

Believe it or not, but this recent Geto Boyz album is great. None of that vocoder crap or whatever Cher uses. The Bushwick Bill part was so filthy it actually shocked me for a second. Then I was alright.

Guided By Voices – Big Fan of the Pigpen

I’m telling you this Ipod is haunted. More early 90’s classics. Someone would pay a lot of money these days for a producer to put that kind of low-fi buzz into a song. Bob Pollard is some kind of genius in his own right.

Beck – Think I’m In Love

Beck makes another appearance only this time as himself. Beck’s last couple of albums have been ridiculously good and this is a prime example of that. Must be underrated genius night for the ol’ Ipod.

Jay-Z – Interlude

Well, it is an interlude after all. Still, it’s nice.

Cat Stevens – Lilywhite

The string part after the first verse just grabs my heart and gently squeezes it.

Willie Nelson w/ Toots Hibbert – I’m A Worried Man

From Willie’s reggae album. Fitting that a cover of a Johnny Cash song made it on the list….this Ipod is up to something. But how come this wasn’t played on modern country radio? Oh that’s right. Because a 19 year old who looks like a hooker wasn’t singing it. Better get on that Willie. Add Toots Hibbert to the list of underrated geniuses. Or maybe it’s just that only a small group of people know he has one of the greatest voices in reggae. He certainly lends some credibility to the song. If only he was 19. And a chick. And looked like a hooker.

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