Set list: Jason Mraz

Went to see Jason Mraz tonight. I have to say, this was, surprisingly, one of the best shows I've ever seen. The audience was great. Mraz and his band were awesome. Mraz set a very fun, engaging atmosphere and came off as incredibly personable and likable, as well as quirky enough to do his songs justice. I can tell I've truly had a great time, when, despite the absence of perhaps my favourite Mraz song ("Wordplay"), I was not disappointed at all. Truly great show.

The opening act was Lisa Hannigan. I missed all but her last song, but she seemed to be quite good. She later joined Mraz on stage to do the female part of "Lucky," and she did that quite well too. I didn't see enough of her to truly judge, but my brief impressions were positive.

Also, to the pair of young-ish girls (probably high school age) next to me who caught one of the photographs tossed at the end, kudos to you. Rather than being some of the annoying fangirls I've encountered at other shows, you were enthusiastic and having fun without being rude or detracting from the concert experience. That's rare. Thanks for actually contributing positively to my own experience. (And yes, Jason Mraz is better than Edward Cullen.)

Mraz's set:
1. Make It Mine
2. The Remedy (a cool reworked version that I'm sure is all over Youtube and included a bit of Oasis's "Wonderwall" at the end)
3. If It Kills me (with a very amusing ukulele and spoken word intro)
4. Mary Jane (the Rick James song)
5. Daddy Sang Bass (even though this wasn't a unique performance for Nashville, we applauded it as if it was.)
6. Who Needs Shelter
7. Bella Luna
8. A Beautiful Mess
9. Live High
10. The Dynamo of Volition
11. I'm Yours
12. Three Little Birds (mainly the chorus repeated for audience interaction)
--encore--
13. A medley of You and I Both and Sleeping to Dream
14. Lucky (with Lisa Hannigan)
15. Build Me Up, Buttercup
16. No Stopping Us complete with extended sax, scatting, band introduction, a Copacabana send-up to introduce one of the band members... yeah. Good times.
17. Butterfly

Ultimate Collection (The Fixx)

The Fixx's Ultimate Collection is aptly named. This one disc, nineteen-track retrospective contains all their hits and some key album tracks. Unlike some other Fixx collections, all of these songs are present in their original studio forms. I was quite happy to find this disc, as there are quite a few Fixx songs I enjoy, particularly the excellent "Secret Separation." Others good ones I'd known before include "Are We Ourselves," "One Thing Leads to Another," "Deeper and Deeper," and "Red Skies." New highlights include "How Much Is Enough," "Some People," and "Driven Out." Overall, this is a nice Fixx collection that's sure to please those looking to add them to their collections.

Tracks:
1. Stand or Fall
2. Red Skies
3. Lost Planes
4. Some People
5. Saved by Zero
6. One Thing Leads to Another
7. The Sign of Fire
8. Going Overboard
9. Deeper and Deeper (long version)
10. Are We Ourselves
11. Sunshine in the Shade
12. Less Cities, More Moving People
13. A Letter to Both Sides
14. Secret Separation
15. Built for the Future
16. Driven Out
17. How Much Is Enough
18. No One Has to Cry
19. Two Different Views

Try Whistling This (Neil Finn)

I love Crowded House's music, and I very much enjoyed Tim Finn's Imaginary Kingdom, so I had high expectations for Neil Finn's solo work. Alas, Try Whistling This left me slightly disappointed as a result. Don't get me wrong - it's a good album. I like it. I'm glad I have it. I just expected too much from it based on my experience with other Finn-related projects. It's less varied than the previous albums mentioned. I think I'd need to be in a mood for even closer listening than I gave it, as the lyrics seem to be up to Finn standards. I'll have to revisit this album for a fairer evaluation. Currently, the highlights seem to be "She Will Have her Way," "Truth," and "Dream Date."

Tracks:
1. Last One Standing
2. Souvenir
3. King Tide
4. Try Whistling This
5. She Will Have Her Way
6. Sinner
7. Twisty Bass
8. Loose Tongue
9. Truth
10. Astro
11. Dream Date
12. Faster Than Light
13. Addicted

The Death of Cool (Kitchens of Distinction)

The only Kitchens of Distinction song I'd known is "Drive That Fast." However, that song very much impressed me, so I was happy to have the opportunity to check out one of their albums. The Death of Cool was released in 1992. It contains the alternative radio hits "Smiling" and "4 Men," as well as what I believe was the international lead single, "Breathing Fear." Not having known much about the band before, I was surprised by their explicit treatment of gay themes in the lyrics, yet I was also rather impressed with the way they were treated. They don't distract and they're not given undue weight; they're treated refreshingly naturally, and as such are able to be as powerful as the other themes covered. The album is some truly enjoyable college rock, and it leaves me wanting to hear more from KOD.

Tracks:
1. What Happens Now?
2. 4 Men
3. On Tooting Broadway Station
4. Breathing Fear
5. Gone World Gone
6. When in Heaven
7. Mad as Snow
8. Smiling
9. Blue Pedal
10. Can't Trust the Waves

Weapons of Mass Destruction (Xzibit)

Xzibit's 2004 rap album Weapons of Mass Destruction contains the awesome lead single "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)," which features Keri Hilson. It was for this song I was willing to lay down the $1 on the album. Overall, it's a mixed bag. Some of the tracks are quite good, some are rather generic, and one or two (ahem... "Klack") are pretty bad. It's not a consistent album, but I do give Xzibit credit for keeping it fairly coherent, with transitions from one song to the next and consistent themes. Also, his commentary is real, so for those of us who enjoy that, that's a perk. The highlights are "Hey Now," "Saturday Night Live," and "Muthafucka."

Tracks:
1. State of the Union
2. LAX
3. Cold World
4. Saturday Night Live (featuring Jelly Roll)
5. Muthafucka
6. Beware of Us (featuring Strong Arm Steady)
7. Judgement Day
8. Criminal Set
9. Hey Now (Mean Muggin) (featuring Keri Hilson)
10. Ride or Die
11. Crazy Ho (featuring Strong Arm Steady)
12. Big Barking
13. Tough Guy (featuring Busta Rhymes)
14. Scent of a Woman
15. Klack
16. Back 2 the Way It Was

Quality Control (Jurassic 5)

Jurassic 5's Quality Control album appealed to me because it contains the one song of theirs I know - "W.O.E. Is Me (World of Entertainment)." That song, a quality piece of hip-hop, is thankfully indicative of the 2000 album which spawned it. Songs like "Lausd," "Swing Set," and "The Influence" are all top-notch. This is definitely an album worth checking out.

Tracks:
1. How We Get Along
2. The Influence
3. Great Expectations
4. Quality Intro
5. Quality Control
6. Contact
7. Lausd
8. W.O.E. Is Me (World of Entertainment)
9. Monkey Bars
10. Jurass Finish First
11. Contribution
12. Twelve
13. The Game
14. Improvise
15. Swing Set

Boomania & Grrr! It's Betty Boo

I guess the "Doin' the Do" single left me with a positive enough impression that, seeing a pair of Betty Boo albums for a total of $3, I decided to take the deal.

Boomania was released in 1990. It contains her big hits "Doin' the Do," "Where Are You Baby," and "Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)." Another standout track is "Boo Is Booming," which is just terribly catchy with its sample of "Montego Bay." I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this album, but now I'm glad I got it. It's a fun slice of the 90s.

Grrr! It's Betty Boo followed in 1992. It sounds very much like an extension of the first album. The highlight for me is "Skin Tight." Singles released from the album include "I'm On My Way" and "Hangover."

While I wouldn't call her the greatest artist ever or anything like that, Betty Boo made fun, danceable music, and she did what she did well.

Tracks for Boomania:
1. Where Are You Baby?
2. Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)
3. Boo Is Booming
4. Boo's Boogie
5. 24 Hours
6. Valentine's Day
7. Doin' the Do (7" radio mix)
8. ('Til My Last Breath) Doin' It to Def
9. Don't Know What to Do
10. Shame
11. Mumbo Jumbo
12. Leave Me Alone

Tracks:
1. I'm on My Way
2. Things Goin' On
3. Hangover
4. Curly & Girly
5. Wish You Were Here
6. Let Me Take You There
7. Gave You the Boo
8. Skin Tight
9. Catch Me
10. Close the Door

Loveboat (Erasure)

Loveboat was Erasure's first album of the current decade, released in 2000. It sticks to your basic Erasure album model, although perhaps there are a few more down-tempos than usual. Still, it's a nice entry in their catalogue. It contains the hit single "Freedom." Other highlights include "Alien," "Here in My Heart," and "Moon & the Sky."

Tracks:
1. Freedom
2. Where in the World
3. Crying in the Rain
4. Perchance to Dream
5. Alien
6. Mad As We Are
7. Here in My Heart
8. Love Is the Rage
9. Catch 22
10. Moon & the Sky
11. Surreal

Chorus (Erasure)

Erasure's Chorus album was released in 1991. It contains the hits "Love to Hate You," "Chorus," "Breath of Life," and "Am I Right." Album track highlights include "Perfect Stranger" and "Waiting for the Day." At this point, all I can say is, it follows the Erasure album formula. If you like their sound, it's another good album. If you don't, you probably weren't considering buying it anyway.

Tracks:
1. Chorus
2. Waiting for the Day
3. Joan
4. Breath of Life
5. Am I Right?
6. Love to Hate You
7. Turns the Love to Anger
8. Siren Song
9. Perfect Stranger
10. Home

Pieces of a Dream (Anastacia)

Yet another awesome greatest hits set on clearance was Anastacia's Pieces of a Dream. I was late to the Anastacia party, falling in love with her when "Left Outside Alone" was blowing up and later checking out her older hit "I'm Outta Love." This set, released in 2005, contains most of her singles to that period, omitting only one non-album single and a club hit from the Chicago soundtrack. It also includes a couple new tracks and a club megamix. The music is quite awesome! It's modern pop with, oftentimes with dance sensibilities, all delivered with a great voice. The liner notes include lyrics and credits for each song included. All considered, this is quite a good hits package.

Tracks:
1. I'm Outta Love
2. Not That Kind
3. Cowboys & Kisses
4. Made for Lovin' You
5. Paid My Dues
6. One Day in Your Life
7. Why'd You Lie to Me
8. You'll Never Be Alone
9. Left Outside Alone
10. Sick and Tired
11. Welcome to My Truth
12. Heavy on My Heart
13. Everything Burns (Ben Moody featuring Anastacia)
14. I Belong to You (Il ritmo della passione) (Eros Ramazzotti with Anastacia)
15. Pieces of a Dream
16. In Your Eyes
17. Club Megamix

Greatest Hits (Village People)

Another hits collection that I likely wouldn't have sought myself had it not been at a must-buy bargain price is Village People's Greatest Hits. I like the songs of theirs I'd known well enough, but it hadn't been enough to spur buying action. However, I'm quite glad I acquired this set, which includes most of their best-known songs. It's amazing to hear the songs on a collection, because it drives home just what a great send-up Village People were. They were supposed to be fun, and perhaps, in the way of a clown, a bit of a commentary. Surprisingly, I have to say the tunes basically succeed on both level. It's light disco that makes for a fun listen and good dancing, and it's a much better take off on the entire scene than I would have given it credit for before. I'm not going to say Village People should be a priority on most people's lists of music to get, but I think they had a target audience in mind and knew how to market themselves to that audience well. Not sure I ever thought I'd be writing up a Village People endorsement, but there you have it. Most of the highlights for me, given my take on it, are the songs that have tongues being most firmly planted in cheeks: "Sodom and Gomorrah," "Key West," and "My Roommate." However, perhaps my favorite song on this collection is the hit single "Go West." Musically, this song would probably stand up just as well out of context... or at least, better than most of the others. It's a great tune.

Tracks:
1. Y.M.C.A.
2. Village People
3. Macho Man
4. San Francisco (You've Got Me)
5. Key West
6. Sodom and Gomorrah
7. In the Navy
8. Go West
9. My Roommate
10. Ready for the 80s
11. Liberation
12. Can't Stop the Music
13. Hot Cop
14. Y.M.C.A. (disco mix)
15. In the Navy (disco mix)

The Best of Atlanta Rhythm Section

Atlanta Rhythm Section is one of those bands I got into with time. My first exposure, "So Into You," is a song that had to grow on me. Next came "Imaginary Lover," which I liked, followed by a song I still adore, "I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight." That was enough for me to know I like the group, but I was never inspired to seek a collection of their stuff. However, with the lovely clearance price of $2.00 for their greatest hits, it was a no-brainer that I'd be coming home with it. The Best of Atlanta Rhythm Section is a 17-track retrospective that includes all of their big hits. Unlike many ARS compilations, these are not re-recordings, but are the original hit versions. Highlights besides the aforementioned hits include "Jukin'" and "Indigo Passion." For casual fans like myself, this is a very good overview of the band's production, minus those hits they had after switching labels. Even still, this would be the ideal disc to get if one just wanted one solid CD collection. Good tunes, enough to satisfy, but not enough space to burn out if you're not a hardcore ARS listener. Recommended.

Tracks:
1. Doraville
2. Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us)
3. Crazy
4. Dog Days
5. All Night Rain
6. Free Spirit
7. Jukin'
8. Neon Nites
9. So Into You
10. Georgia Rhythm
11. Imaginary Lover
12. Champagne Jam
13. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight
14. Do It or Die
15. Spooky
16. Indigo Passion
17. Silver Eagle

Cupid & Psyche 85 (Scritti Politti)

I suppose it's only fitting that this disc would appear here. Scritti Politti's 1985 album Cupid & Psyche 85 contains many of their best-known hits, including "Wood Beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin)," "Perfect Way," and "The Word Girl." The album is a solid offering that somewhat reminds me of Prefab Sprout, another cool and underappreciated band. Besides the aforementioned hits, highlights include "Absolute" and "Flesh & Blood." This is definitely a solid album, and one which stands as an 80s classic. Very enjoyable.

Tracks:
1. The Word Girl
2. Small Talk
3. Absolute
4. A Little Knowledge
5. Don't Work That Hard
6. Perfect Way
7. Lover to Fall
8. Wood Beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin)
9. Hypnotize
10. Flesh & Blood
11. Absolute (version)
12. Wood Beez (version)
13. Hypnotize (version)

"Sun Is Shining" single (Bob Marley vs. Funkstar De Luxe)

Bob Marley is a legend. There's really nothing I can say to advocate his music that hasn't been said. (Actually, my reggae collection is small, with Jimmy Cliff being the only artist to have any significant presence. Nonetheless, I recognize the talent of many of its practitioners.) "Sun Is Shining" is a track that lends itself well to being remixed for the clubs, and Funkstar De Luxe proved that with this single in 1999, which contains three great dance-oriented mixes of the track. I think my favorite is the Funkstars Club Mix, but all three are quite good. Fans of Marley or of dance will find this a pleasing disc.

Tracks:
1. Sun Is Shining (Radio De Luxe edit)
2. Sun Is Shining (Ranbow mix)
3. Sun Is Shining (Funkstars club mix)

Manners & Physique (Adam Ant)

Adam Ant's album Manners & Physique was released in 1990. It contains the hit single "Room at the Top." While there are quite a few Ant tracks I know and like a lot ("Vive Le Rock," "Desperate but Not Serious," "Wonderful," etc.), I can't say I'd heard any of the tracks on this album before. Still, I've been looking to get some Adam Ant for a while now, so I finally took the plunge with this disc. It's a pretty solid release, with songs like "If You Keep On" and "Bright Lights Black Leather" amongst the highlights. My guess would be that this isn't the ideal entry point into the Ant catalogue, but I do like it well enough and hope to continue getting his stuff.

Tracks:
1. Room at the Top
2. Rough Stuff
3. If You Keep On
4. Manners & Physique
5. Can't Set Rules About Love
6. U.S.S.A.
7. Bright Lights Black Leather
8. Piccadilly
9. Young Dumb and Full of It
10. Anger Inc.

Broken (Nine Inch Nails)

Broken is my latest buy in my quest to go through and slowly pick up stuff from the Nine Inch Nails catalogue. The EP was released in 1992, and is the first thing I've bought that contains something I heard performed live: "Pinion" leading into "Wish," the first two tracks. Also on the EP are "Last," the instrumental "Help Me I Am in Hell," the excellent "Happiness in Slavery," and the high-adrenaline "Gave Up." At the end (and I mean the end - tracks 98 and 99) are two further tracks, "Physical (You're So)" and "Suck" which are slightly more accessible. The former is a remake of an Adam Ant track, though the sound has changed pretty radically. Basically, everything on here is cool. I think my two faves are "Wish" and "Happiness in Slavery." Hard to choose, though. Very cool EP.

Tracks:
1. Pinion
2. Wish
3. Last
4. Help Me I Am in Hell
5. Happiness in Slavery
6. Gave Up
7-97. A second of silence
98. Physical (You're So)
99. Suck

Darker Days (The Connells)

Used stores have been very good about helping me build a collection by The Connells. They account for 100% of the material of theirs in my collection. I've now picked up their 1986 album Darker Days thanks to such an establishment. At this point, after having positive experiences with their other albums, my expectation was that I would enjoy this one too, and that expectation was met. Another solid offering, particularly lead track "Hats Off."

Tracks:
1. Hats Off
2. Holding Pattern
3. Seven
4. Unspoken Words
5. Darker Days (version)
6. Much Easier
7. 1934
8. Brighter Words
9. Dial It

"One" single (Mary J. Blige)

"One" is one of U2's great songs. I was a bit hesitant when I saw Mary J. Blige had chosen to take it on, and quite intrigued that it was a collaboration with U2. Curious, I took a listen and was surprised by just how good it turned out. True, it's not quite on the level of U2's original; still, it's a good version worth hearing. Therefore, I was willing to pick up the single for it. It's backed with a live performance of "Can't Hide From Luv," the studio version of which is on The Breakthrough. I hadn't heard the song before, but it's pretty cool.

Tracks:
1. One (radio edit) (with U2)
2. Can't Hide From Luv (live)

San Francisco Days (Chris Isaak)

Chris Isaak is one of those artists whose greatest hits I checked out on a whim when I saw it sitting in a store, and where I ended up being surprised just how much I enjoyed it. Besides such familiar tunes as "Wicked Game," songs like "Let Me Down Easy" and "Somebody's Crying" really caught my ear. I also added his Christmas album to my collection in 2007 when Best Buy had it for a ridiculous sale price. Now, I've gotten my first Isaak studio album, 1993's San Francisco Days. While I don't really plan on buying up a lot of his catalogue, I wanted this particular album because it contains his version of "Solitary Man," which is quite a nice rendition. Another previously unknown highlight is the track "Beautiful Homes." Previously familiar singles on the album include "Two Hearts" and "Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me)" in addition to the title track. It's a cool album, and it does a nice job of filling out the picture which started being painted by the hits collection.

Tracks:
1. San Francisco Days
2. Beautiful Homes
3. Round 'N' Round
4. Two Hearts
5. Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me)
6. Except the New Girl
7. Waiting
8. Move Along
9. I Want Your Love
10. 5:15
11. Lonely With a Broken Heart
12. Solitary Man

The Singles Box #2 (Depeche Mode)

Talk about a great birthday surprise! I went into FYE to see if and how I'd claim my 20% birthday discount, and there I found a used copy of Depeche Mode's Singles Box (Volume 2). There are a few artists out there (off the top of my head, Erasure (4), Morrissey (2), Depeche Mode (6), and Duran Duran (2), in order of interest) who have out awesome singles boxes like this over which I salivate but have not gotten around to purchasing. You can imagine my shock at seeing this in the store and priced reasonably. (I've seen both volumes of the Duran singles boxes in stores, but that priced reasonably part is consistently missing.) While I got a few cool birthday purchases, this is definitely my favorite, and was a very nice gift indeed.

The box contains six CD singles: "Get the Balance Right!," "Everything Counts," "Love in Itself," "People Are People," "Master and Servant," and "Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody." Those awesome a-sides are accompanied by such cool b-sides as "The Great Outdoors!," "Fools," "Work Hard," "In Your Memory," and "(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me," as well as remixes and live versions. Of the new discoveries, my favorite tunes are "Remotivate Me" and "Work Hard" as of right now, but I didn't hear anything I disliked. Excellent set!

Tracks:
"Get the Balance Right!" single
1. Get the Balance Right!
2. The Great Outdoors!
3. Get the Balance Right! (combination mix)
4. Tora! Tora! Tora! (live)

"Everything Counts" single
1. Everything Counts
2. Work Hard
3. Everything Counts (In Larger Amounts)
4. Work Hard (East End remix)

"Love in Itself" single
1. Love in Itself.2
2. Fools
3. Love in Itself.3
4. Fools (Bigger)
5. Love in Itself.4

"People Are People" single
1. People Are People
2. In Your Memory
3. People Are People (different mix)
4. In Your Memory (Slik mix)

"Master & Servant" single
1. Master & Servant
2. (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
3. Master & Servant (slavery whip mix)
4. (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me (release mix)
5. Master & Servant (voxless)

"Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody" single
1. Blasphemous Rumours
2. Told You So (live)
3. Somebody (remix)
4. Everything Counts (live)

"My Mistakes Were Made for You" single (The Last Shadow Puppets)

Seeing as how The Last Shadow Puppets' album The Age of the Understatement is so great, I was excited to see the band had released a cool single for "My Mistakes Were Made for You." Specifically, there were two live remakes that piqued my interest: "My Little Red Book" and "Paris Summer," which is performed with Alison Mosshart of The Kills. I was not disappointed. Those two tracks alone are worth the price of admission. The a-side is the album version of the title track, which is great. The other tracks are live and acoustic renditions of songs on Age. Those aren't as exciting for me, but are still worth hearing as they're executed quite well.

Tracks:
1. My Mistakes Were Made for You
2. Separate and Ever Deadly (live from New Theatre, Oxford)
3. Paris Summer (featuring Alison Mosshart) (live from the Olympia, Paris)
4. My Little Red Book (live from New Theatre, Oxford)
5. The Age of the Understatement (acoustic)
6. Standing Next to Me (acoustic)
7. The Meeting Place (acoustic)
8. My Mistakes Were Made for You (acoustic)

Here Comes the Groom (John Wesley Harding)

My introduction to John Wesley Harding came when I bought his Why We Fight album in February of this year. I liked that album, but I only gave it so much play. However, my interest in Harding was reignited over the summer when a friend included the awesome "You're No Good" on a mix CD. I was reminded of Harding yet again recently as he's scheduled to drop a new album soon. This led me to finally go ahead and pick up Here Comes the Groom, his classic 1989 release. This is the album which includes "You're No Good," as well as his rock radio hit "The Devil in Me" and the neat track "An Audience With You." Overall, this is another solid album that makes me want to pull out the other for further consideration, as well as perhaps check out more of his catalogue.

Tracks:
1. Here Comes the Groom
2. Cathy's New Clown
3. Spaced Cowgirl
4. Scared of Guns
5. You're No Good
6. When the Sun Comes Out
7. The Devil in Me
8. An Audience With You
9. Dark Dark Heart
10. Same Thing Twice
11. Affairs of the Heart
12. Nothing I'd Rather Do
13. Things Snowball
14. The Red Rose and the Briar
15. Bastard Son

Song of the Day: "FM (No Static At All)"

ARTIST: Steely Dan
TITLE: "FM (No Static At All)"
YEAR: 1978

I have no idea why Steely Dan's 1978 hit "FM (No Static At All)" came into my head today, but it did. I'd forgotten what a good song it is as I hadn't heard it quite some time. Very enjoyable listening to it again. I always especially liked the "nothing but blues and Elvis and somebody else's favourite song" part.

The song can be heard here. It's available on such Steely Dan collections as Show Biz Kids: The Steely Dan Story 1972-80, Citizen Steely Dan: 1972-1980, and The Definitive Collection.

"It's Only Us" / "She's the One" single (Robbie Williams)

Robbie Williams's "It's Only Us" was featured in the video game FIFA 2000. Originally a non-album track, it eventually would replace "Jesus in a Camper Van" on I've Been Expecting You due to legal issues. Since my copy of Expecting contains "Jesus," and "It's Only Us" is up there amongst my favourite Williams songs, I had to pick up a copy of the single release, a double a-side with his version of "She's the One." The b-side here is "Coke & Tears," a live track. It's pretty cool and definitely worth hearing.

Tracks:
1. It's Only Us
2. She's the One
3. Coke & Tears

Song of the Day: "No Myth"

ARTIST: Michael Penn
TITLE: "No Myth"
YEAR: 1990

Released on 1989's March, Michael Penn's "No Myth" became his biggest hit single in 1990. While he has many other great songs, it's understandable why this one would find such success. It's an amazing song. The lyrics and the vocal delivery are spot on. It's a shame that Penn faded from the limelight, despite continuing his recording career throughout the 19990s and into the current decade. Still, even discounting his many other wonderful recordings, "No Myth" would itself be an amazing musical legacy.

Hear the song here. It is available on Penn's album March. Sorry that I couldn't find the real video online. Watch it if you can. It's a keeper.

Gold (Joe Cocker)

Joe Cocker's Gold is a two-disc career retrospective. While only so much content can fit on two discs when that career goes from the 1960s to the 2000s, Gold does an admirable job of selecting songs. Key hits and album tracks are included here. Of course, some hits are omitted due to space constraints, but as a Cocker overview or introduction, this works well.

Several years ago, I would have told you quite assuredly I would not be buying Joe Cocker's work. I was only familiar with such tracks as his versions of "You Are So Beautiful" and "With a Little Help From My Friends," which I disliked at the time. (They're still not amongst my favourites to this day, but I can at least tolerate them.) However, as I heard more of his music, I found that, given the right material, he could produce great results. Such songs as "High Time We Went," "Midnight Rider," "Feelin' Alright," and "Delta Lady" sparked my interest enough that, given a nice coupon incentive from Borders recently, I finally took the plunge and invested. I'm glad I did. There are more tracks here I like than do not. Highlights include "I Can Stand a Little Rain," "The Jealous Kind," "Civilized Man," and "You Can't Have My Heart." Remakes which I found surprisingly good, given how much I love the originals and thereby making it very hard to compare, are here in the form of U2's "One" and The Lovin' Spoonful's "Darling Be Home Soon."

I once made the mistake of writing off blues-rocker Cocker, but I'm glad that has been rectified.

Tracks:
1. Feelin' Alright
2. With a Little Help From My Friends
3. Delta Lady
4. She Came In Through the Bathroom Window
5. Something
6. Darling Be Home Soon
7. The Letter (live)
8. Cry Me a River (live)
9. High Time We Went
10. Black-Eyed Blues
11. Midnight Rider
12. Put Out the Light
13. I Can Stand a Little Rain
14. You Are So Beautiful
15. I Think It's Gonna Rain Today
16. The Jealous Kind
17. Fun Time
18. I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today (with The Crusaders)

Disc 2
19. Sweet Little Woman
20. Many Rivers to Cross
21. Up Where We Belong (with Jennifer Warnes)
22. Civilized Man
23. Shelter Me
24. You Can Leave Your Hat On
25. Unchain My Heart
26. When the Night Comes
27. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
28. Night Calls
29. Now That the Magic Has Gone
30. Summer in the City
31. Have a Little Faith in Me
32. Sail Away
33. Tonight
34. First We Take Manhattan
35. You Can't Have My Heart
36. One

Song of the Day: "Never Be You"

ARTIST: Maria McKee
TITLE: "Never Be You"
YEAR: 1984

Maria McKee's "Never Be You" is part of the awesome soundtrack to the 1984 film Streets of Fire. I love this song, which was later a hit as done by Rosanne Cash. Lately, it's been coming up a lot in my player, and I've really got a chance to remember how awesome it is.

The song is available on the soundtrack to Streets of Fire. I can't find a streaming version online for listening.

Swing When You're Winning (Robbie Williams)

Swing When You're Winning is a bit of an anomaly in the Robbie Williams catalogue. Rather than featuring originals, this is a standards album, with the lone exception of the opening track. I wasn't too sure what to expect from this album. Obviously, I'm a big fan of Robbie Williams, and I also very much like well-executed albums of classic songs. Still, I wasn't too sure how well the two would combine.

The result, however, is gratifying. I wouldn't call this the best standards album I'd heard, nor would I call it the best Robbie Williams album. Still, the songs on here are well-chosen, and Williams delivers a performance that evidences an actual appreciation for the material. There's very little here that sounds hollow, and for the most part, I'd be willing to say he enjoyed recording this. Also, opening track "I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen" is a great song that, in my opinion, would have made a nice single. It is one of the highlights, along with a great rendition of "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," a fun take on "Well, Did You Evah" with Jon Lovitz, Darin-inspired versions of "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea," and a cool Jane Horrocks duet on "Things." The big single off the album, a version of "Somethin' Stupid" performed with Nicole Kidman, is also a rewarding listen. Overall, it's an effort that I think many can appreciate.

Tracks:
1. I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen
2. Mack the Knife
3. Somethin' Stupid (with Nicole Kidman)
4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
5. It Was a Very Good Year (with Frank Sinatra)
6. Straighten Up and Fly Right
7. Well, Did You Evah (with Jon Lovitz)
8. Mr. Bojangles
9. One for My Baby
10. Things (with Jane Horrocks)
11. Ain't That a Kick in the Head
12. They Can't Take That Away From Me
13. Have You Met Miss Jones?
14. Me and My Shadow (with Jonathan Wilkes)
15. Beyond the Sea

Sing When You're Winning (Robbie Williams)

Robbie Williams's 2000 album Sing When You're Winning contains another of my favorites of his, the megahit "Rock DJ." Other awesome singles from the album include "Supreme," "The Road to Mandalay," "Let Love Be Your Energy," "Better Man," and the Kylie Minogue duet "Kids." The album tracks are, as usual, also very strong, with songs like "Singing for the Lonely" and "Knutsford City Limits" rounding out the album very nicely. Another winner from Williams!

Tracks:
1. Let Love Be Your Energy
2. Better Man
3. Rock DJ
4. Supreme
5. Kids (with Kylie Minogue)
6. If It's Hurting You
7. Singing for the Lonely
8. Love Calling Earth
9. Knutsford City Limits
10. Forever Texas
11. By All Means Necessary
12. The Road to Mandalay

I've Been Expecting You (Robbie Williams)

On Robbie Williams's sophomore solo album, 1998's I've Been Expecting You, the artist really hits his stride. The songwriting and music are very tight, and Williams's style has been fleshed out, with further hints of the diversity that would appear on later albums here. I'll spare the rambling (since the previous and next entries about Williams do plenty of gushing already) and just say, it's a winner.

Tracks:
1. Strong
2. No Regrets
3. Millennium
4. Phoenix from the Flames
5. Win Some Lose Some
6. Grace
7. Jesus in a Camper Van
8. Heaven from Here
9. Karma Killer
10. She's the One
11. Man Machine
12. These Dreams (includes hidden tracks "Stand Your Ground" and "Stalker's Day Off (I've Been Hanging Around)")

"Every Day Is Exactly the Same" single (Nine Inch Nails)

Still on a bit of a Nine Inch Nails kick, I used a nice Borders coupon to pick up a copy of the single for "Every Day Is Exactly the Same." Like "The Perfect Drug" remix single, my second acquisition has an a-side that I didn't actually hear performed live. Go figure. Still, it's a strong song. The b-sides are remixes, one of the a-side plus a pair each for "The Hand That Feeds" and "Only." I really like the two "The Hand That Feed" mixes, plus the Richard X Mix of "Only." Overall, this is a strong single release and worth having. Maybe at some point I'll even get the actual album, haha.

Tracks:
1. Every Day Is Exactly the Same
2. The Hand That Feeds (DFA Mix)
3. The Hand That Feeds (Photek Straight Mix)
4. Only (EL-P mix)
5. Only (Richard X mix)
6. Every Day Is Exactly the Same (Sam Fog. vs. Carlos D Mix)

Song of the Day: "Heartache Tonight"

ARTIST: Eagles
TITLE: "Heartache Tonight"
YEAR: 1979

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Eagles music, but this is one of the songs I like well enough. It seemed an appropriate theme for tonight, however, as my heart ached after a loss by the Eagles of the Philadelphia football variety. Urgh!

Here's the song. It's available on Eagles' The Long Run album, as well as the collection The Very Best Of.

Fearless (Jazmine Sullivan)

I wasn't sure whether or not to believe the hype surrounding Jazmine Sullivan's Fearless. I checked out lead single "Need U Bad" when it was an iTunes single of the week, and while I liked it and thought the Pepa-supplied patois was a nice touch, I didn't think it was anything amazing. However, amazing is exactly the word I'd use to describe second single "Bust Your Windows." While both songs left me with positive impressions, the second extremely so, I'm not sure I would have bought the album had I not then seen it in my school's bookstore. That, however, put me over the edge, and I'm glad it did. This one's stunning! Every track on here is at least good, with most great. Other favourites besides the first couple singles include "My Foolish Heart," "One Night Stand," and the bonus track "Switch!" For those who, like me, wondered how a song could be a bonus track when it was on the album's first pressing, allow me to explain one of the rare times when this labeling has seemed sensible to me. The first eleven tracks form a very nice, incredibly cohesive artistic unit. You might call it "an album." "Switch!" doesn't really fit in with the contents; however, I'm assuming Sullivan and/or her camp wanted it released to show her more playful side and thereby round out her personality as even more complex. In my opinion, that's a good move. The song is fun and feel-good, and while it doesn't fit with the rest of the album, it makes an awesome bonus track, making that an intelligent label for it.

Highly recommended.

Tracks:
1. Bust Your Windows
2. Need U Bad
3. My Foolish Heart
4. Lions, Tigers & Bears
5. Call Me Guilty
6. One Night Stand
7. After the Hurricane
8. Dream Big
9. Live a Lie
10. Fear
11. In Love With Another Man
Bonus Track: Switch!

Song of the Day: "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid"

ARTIST: The Offspring
TITLE: "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid"
YEAR: 2008

The Offspring's second single from their Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace album has been a huge hit at alternative radio. In my opinion, it's well deserved. There's something undeniable about this song and its energy. Perhaps it's the way it's structured, which isn't anything so unique, but is a formula executed incredibly well. Whatever the case, I've been loving this song lately.

To hear the song, click here. It is available on the album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.

"Sexed Up" single (Robbie Williams)

"Sexed Up" was one of the singles released in 2003 to promote Robbie Williams's Escapology album. The a-side is the album version, which is a cool song in its own right, but the reason to get this single is a pair of top-notch b-sides. They're two original compositions: "Get a Little High" and "Appliance of Science." Both are excellent songs and worth a listen. Only in a catalogue as strong as Williams's would songs like these be relegated to b-side status.

Tracks:
1. Sexed Up
2. Get a Little High
3. Appliance of Science

Escapology (Robbie Williams)

Williams's Escapology album was released in 2002. It spawned one of my favorite of his singles, "Come Undone," a song which I would easily consider one of the best ever released by any artist. By the time this album had come out, Williams had had plenty of time to hit his stride, and he's in fine form from start to finish here. Other great singles like "Feel," "Something Beautiful," and "Sexed Up," as well as excellent album tracks like "Revolution," "Handsome Man," and "Cursed," show Williams's diversity and, perhaps most importantly, showcase his excellent songwriting. This is one of those 2000s albums that should come to be viewed as essential.

Tracks:
1. How Peculiar
2. Feel
3. Something Beautiful
4. Monsoon
5. Sexed Up
6. Love Somebody
7. Revolution
8. Handsome Man
9. Come Undone
10. Me and My Monkey
11. Song 3
12. Hot Fudge
13. Cursed
14. Nan's Song

"Freedom" single (Robbie Williams)

Before Life Thru a Lens was released, Williams released a single that was a remake of George Michael's "Freedom." According to an interview snippet present on the single, this was largely because he felt he could relate to the song's lyrics, and also to some degree as a tribute to George Michael himself, a great singer-songwriter.

Williams has good taste in music, and he picked a song that he could perform adequately. It doesn't surpass Michael's version, nor is it one of the top releases in Williams's catalogue, but it was meant to be neither of those things; rather, it was intended to send a message, and this it does well. My favourite of the included versions is the Arthur Baker mix, which adds a bit of flair to the track. Overall, it's a good rendition of excellent material as performed by an amazing artist.

Tracks:
1. Freedom (radio edit)
2. Freedom (Arthur Baker mix)
3. Freedom (The Next Big Genn mix)
4. Interview

Life Thru a Lens (Robbie Williams)

I've recently been on a Robbie Williams kick, and so I decided to go ahead and fill in some holes in my collection of his music. Life Thru a Lens is the first solo album Williams released back in 1997. It contains such great hit singles as "Let Me Entertain You," "Old Before I Die," and "South of the Border." Its best known hit is probably "Angels." The album as a whole is quite good. Such album tracks as "Ego a Go Go" and "Killing Me" help make this a very solid solo debut.

Tracks:
1. Lazy Days
2. Life Thru a Lens
3. Ego a Go Go
4. Angels
5. South of the Border
6. Old Before I Die
7. One of God's Better People
8. Let Me Entertain You
9. Killing Me
10. Clean
11. Baby Girl Window

Song of the Day: "Prove It All Night"

ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen
TITLE: "Prove It All Night"
YEAR: 1978

For election day, Bruce Springsteen has supplied my musical soundtrack. It seemed somehow appropriate, plus I was in the mood for The Boss anyway. "Prove It All Night" has been a bit of a recent obsession for me. While I still think "Brilliant Disguise" is my favourite song of his, this single from the Darkness on the Edge of Town album is way up there. It's an awesome song by a guy who's been making decades of great music.

Hear it here. The song is available on Darkness on the Edge of Town.

The Best of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are one of those bands whose songs impressed me, but I just never quite got around to picking up that first CD. I finally rectified by getting the sixteen-track compilation The Best of Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark. Overall, the songs are quite strong, although, for me, there are a few of the earlier tracks which might have to grow on me. Still, the band had a lot of well crafted new wave-influenced pop songs. Favourites, both previous and newly-discovered, include "Dreaming," "Tesla Girls," "So in Love," "Enola Gay," "(Forever) Live and Die," "Locomotion," and the one that still gets good radio play, "If You Leave."

Tracks:
1. Electricity
2. Messages
3. Enola Gay
4. Souvenir
5. Joan of Arc
6. Maid of Orleans
7. Tesla Girls
8. Locomotion
9. Talking Loud and Clear
10. So in Love
11. Secret
12. If You Leave
13. (Forever) Live and Die
14. Dreaming
15. We Love You (12" version)
16. La Femme Accident (12" version)

Set lists: Sara Bareilles and Marc Broussard

I'd seen Sara Bareilles in concert when she was an opening act for Paolo Nutini. Tonight, I went to see her on her own tour, with supporting acts Marc Broussard and Raining Jane. To be honest, I was also quite excited to be able to see Broussard. I'd only heard a few of his songs, but I quite enjoyed them, so I figured he'd make for a nice concert experience as well as Bareilles, who I knew would.

The first opener was Raining Jane. I didn't keep their set list, but they were okay. Nice-ish music, a bit of a world/eclectic influence. Not necessarily anything that would excite me, although a couple of the songs were quite good. Pretty cool, though, and the members had good personalities. A little rough as far as stage presence at time, but I'm sure that's something that will be worked out with more performance experience.

As anticipated, Broussard and Bareilles both had awesome sets. Broussard was high energy, and his supporting band is awesome and deserves props for their part in his set as well. I wish I'd jotted down their names. Anyway, I even was inspired to get a cool Broussard shirt at the merchandise table. Bareilles's set was also fun, with most of the tracks being drawn from Little Voice, but a few unexpected things thrown in. When I first saw her, "Love on the Rocks" included a snippet of "Bennie and the Jets" thrown in. While that didn't happen this time around, Bareilles had plenty of other cool little insertions. I hope she keeps that up as her career progresses, as I think it's a fun concert tactic that really helps to express her own musical tastes and definitely also her personality.

I'd urge anyone with a chance to see Bareilles or Broussard to take it.

Marc Broussard's set:
1. Rocksteady
2. Man for Life
3. The Wanderer
4. Real Good Thing
5. Another Night Alone
6. Home
7. Gavin's Song
8. Going Home

Sara Bareilles:
-band entered to Four Seasons' "December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)"
1. Vegas
2. Bottle It Up
3. Morningside
4. Love on the Rocks
5. Between the Lines
6. Fairy Tale
7. I Feel It All
8. August Moon
9. Little Voice with the opening verse of "Viva La Vida" thrown in
10. City
11. Chorus of "Black and Gold" (sweet!), Come Round Soon, chorus of "I Kissed a Girl" (not sweet!)
12. Love Song
13. Many the Miles, joined by Marc Broussard and the audience
14. Living for the City, joined by Marc Broussard and Raining Jane... excellent choice for a group jam. I wish more people would do awesome jam covers. It was also one of the highlights when I saw Ben Lee a while ago, and he and his openers did Cheap Trick's "Surrender."
Encore
15. Sullivan Street (Counting Crows song)
16. Gravity

Song of the Day: "I Need to Know"

ARTIST: Marc Anthony
TITLE: "I Need to Know"
YEAR: 1999

While watching football most of the day, an advert kept coming on that uses this song. Earlier this year, I picked up a cheap remix single for it, and that is because it is one I remember fondly and still much enjoy to this day. The advert got it stuck in my head most of the day, so I thought I'd give it some space here today.

Listen here. The track is available on Marc Anthony's self-titled album.

Faith (George Michael)

George Michael's Faith is hugely successful and still shows up critics' lists of the greatest albums. Despite containing the awesome track "Look at Your Hands," one of the few tracks from this album not to appear on a Michael compilation, I often delayed picking this one up. However, I finally got a copy. There's not actually a track on here that I hadn't heard before, but I will just say that any acclaim this gets is deserved. Great tracks and sequenced well.

Tracks:
1. Faith
2. Father Figure
3. I Want Your Sex (Parts 1 & 2)
4. One More Try
5. Hard Day
6. Hand to Mouth
7. Look at Your Hands
8. Monkey
9. Kissing a Fool
10. Hard Day (Shep Pettibone remix)
11. A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3)

"The Perfect Drug" versions (Nine Inch Nails)

After my NIN concert experience, I was left feeling a bit of a void in my collection, owning none of their music. I rectified that quickly by picking up a copy of the single of remixes of "The Perfect Drug." This is a strange first purchase for many reasons. For one, I didn't actually hear it live. For a second, the hit version of "The Perfect Drug" isn't actually included. Still, it was there and I wanted it, so buy it I did. While some of the remixes are decent, I wouldn't say this single is stunning in any way. My favorite is probably Spacetime Continuum, with The Orb a close second. While it's likely a non-essential for those who aren't Nine Inch Nails completists, it isn't without its merits. Overall, this is a purchase to consider if you happen to see it around, but by no means a must-have, move-it-to-the-top-of-your-wish-list type thing.

Tracks:
1. The Perfect Drug (Meat Beat Manifesto)
2. The Perfect Drug (Plug)
3. The Perfect Drug (Nine Inch Nails)
4. The Perfect Drug (Spacetime Continuum)
5. The Perfect Drug (The Orb)

Songs of the Day

These are a few songs that popped into my head during my class Thursday. I don't know what it is about that class, but I always seem to end up with songs competing with the material.

ARTIST: A Foot in Coldwater
TITLE: "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want"
YEAR: 1972

A killer track from a Canadian band that seems to be largely forgotten. Shame. This isn't the full version of the track as it's edited down, but better than nothing, so take a listen here. It's available on Best of A Foot in Coldwater, among other AFiC CDs.

ARTIST: Joy Division
TITLE: "Shadowplay"
YEAR: 1979

It recently received a minor revival when The Killers remade it. They did a good job, but nothing can top Joy Division. Listen to the song here. It can be purchased on many Joy Division sets, the most complete of which is a box set entitled Heart and Soul.

ARTIST: Yes
TITLE: "Your Move"
YEAR: 1971

"Your Move" is one of my favourite Yes tracks. I don't know why. It's played all the time on classic rock radio, but it still hasn't burned on me, despite me not even being a huge Yes fan. I guess this song just has "it." Try Seeqpod for hearing it. The song is available on The Yes Album.