Mike Viola has a knack for crafting great classic pop songs that have a healthy (well, perhaps unhealthy) dose of darkness to them. "Me and My Drinking" from Electro De Perfecto is another shining example of his art.
I would suggest not listening to this song in a darkened bedroom late at night if you're depressed and alone. It's not for the faint of heart, or those with booze issues.
I can honestly say that this song may have saved my life. I was upstate yesterday morning, driving to get a blood test at 6:05 a.m. I had slept about two hours the night before and couldn't have any caffeine before this blood test. I felt myself drifting off when WDST out of Woodstock started playing "Dawned on Me." I received an instant jolt of energy as well as something to focus on. That helped me when I saw that deer out of the corner of my eye. It didn't move into the road but at least I was aware enough to not under or overreact.
And it was kind of humorous That I heard "Dawned on Me" in a car for the first time just as it was dawn.
I've only listened to this new Ryan Adams album once so far, so I think it's still too early for a proper review. I can say that I never realized how distinctive Norah Jones' piano playing can be. I would hear the piano on almost every track (except this one) and think, "Is that Norah again?" I'd check the credits, and yup, it would be.
I heard "Ashes & Fire" Thursday night on WFUV, then when I listened to the album earlier today and then downstairs at Starbucks like an hour ago. So it's another obvious SOTW.
Wow, who knew we could get such a great turnout for a gig that didn't start until 11 p.m. Thanks again for coming out. Our next edition is November 23rd, the night before thanksgiving.
Here's what you heard last night until the wee hours.
R.E.M. - “Losing My Religion” Cracker - “Teen Angst” Sugar - “A Good Idea” Paul Westerberg - “Waiting for Somebody” Soul Coughing - “Circles” U2 - “Even Better Than the Real Thing” B.A.D. II - “Rush” Fatboy Slim - “Praise You” DNA featuring Suzanne Vega - “Tom’s Diner” O.M.C. - “How Bizarre” Cardigans - “Lovefool” No Doubt - “Just a Girl” New Radicals - “You Get What You Give” Sister Hazel - “All For You” Spin Doctors - “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” Stroke 9 - “Little Black Backpack” Depeche Mode - “Personal Jesus” Crystal Waters - “100% Pure Love” Blur - “Girls and Boys” Snoop Dogg - “What’s My Name” 2pac & Dr. Dre - “California Love” Montell Jordan - “This Is How We Do It” Mark Morrison - “Return of the Mack” Notorious B.I.G. - “Juicy” TLC - “No Scrubs” Warren G. & Nate Dogg - “Regulate” Destiny’s Child - “Say My Name” Bell Biv Devoe - “Poison” MC Hammer - “U Can’t Touch This” Spice Girls - “Wannabe” Mariah Carey featuring O.D.B. - “Fantasy (Remix)” Aaliyah - “Are You That Somebody” Mary J Blige - “Real Love” Monica - “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)” Usher - “Nice n Slow” Pras featuring Michel, ODB & Mya - “Ghetto Superstar” Wreckx-N-Effect - “Rump Shaker” Backstreet Boys - “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” NSync - “I Want You Back” Third Eye Blind - “Semi-Charmed Life” Rancid - “Ruby Soho” Green Day - “Basket Case” Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Blink 182 - “All The Small Things” Weezer - “Buddy Holly” No Doubt - “Spiderwebs” Chumbawamba - “Tubthumping” Ace of Base - “The Sign” The Fugees - “Ready or Not” En Vogue - “Free Your Mind” Naughty By Nature - “Hip Hop Hooray” Cypress Hill - “Insane in the Brain” Coolio - “Gangsta’s Paradise” Arrested Development - “Tennessee” Biz Markie - “Just a Friend” Blackstreet - “No Diggity” Salt N Pepa - “Shoop” Aqua - “Barbie Girl” La Bouche - “Be My Lover” Janet Jackson - “If” Dee-Lite - “Groove Is in the Heart” SWV - “Right Here/Human Nature” R. Kelly - “Bump n Grind” Madonna - “Take a Bow” Duran Duran - Ordinary World” Lisa Loeb - “Stay”
Over the past two years I've acquired a bunch of vinyl -- perhaps reacquired is a better word, because 90% of this as-yet-to-be fully listened to catalog features albums that I had as a kid or a teenager. I usually end up listening to these albums when I'm working on the computer in my little micro-office in the bedroom or while I'm cleaning parts of the apartment. Today while doing dishes and putting away laundry I listened to KISS Alive!, the 1975 double album that kickstarted their career. (It was the next-to-last piece of vinyl I had yet to play. The last? ELO's double-LP opus Out of the Blue.) It's the first time I've listened to it since 1976 or 1977. Back then my cousin Bob and I were big KISS fans and between us had almost their entire catatlog on (wait for it) 8-track. While I think KISS is just a goofy money machine now, when I was eight years old they were mysterious, dark and scary (especially when Gene Simmons was sticking out his tongue).
When I got to side 3, I looked at "100,000 Years" and thought, "How the hell can KISS have a track that clocks in at over 10 minutes long?" When the song started I realized exactly why -- it was the showcase for solos featuring Gene Simmons' mediocre bass skills, Peter Criss's somewhat capable drumming and Paul Stanley's annoyingly high-pitched stage banter. I stopped washing my silverware and started laughing at how ludicrious it was. And I think you should get a laugh out of it too. So here's "100,000 Years" from that 1975 tour. Seriously, this is just so stupid.
