5/2009 Playlist

In 2006 I started keeping monthly playlists in my iTunes where I added songs that had caught my attention that month. When the month is over, I file the old list, start a new one. I joined Mog.com (www.mog.com/iren) in June of 2006 and started writing a summary and/or commentary for each track, sometimes posting a related video as well. As time passed Mog started to wane, and I decided to branch out my posting of the list. At first I added it to my multiply page, my gather page, my Myspace page, but all of that got to be too much, so from here on out I will only post this list on my mog page and my blog (www.restlesskind.blogspot.com). If you visit my Mog page on the right hand side there is a widget that links to all the past entries, if you want to go back and check them out. Thanks to everyone who has been reading along and feel free to post comments, questions or what ever in the comments section. Enjoy Eric Reanimator.

Just Like Honey by Headless Heroes
www.myspace.com/denofheroes
http://denofheroes.com/

I was never the biggest fan of the Jesus and Mary Chain, but this version really has been rocking my ears this past month. I think it's Alela Daine and her folksy vocals, along with the A-Qustic! instro, stripping away the layers of fuzz that surround the original.

Here's Your Future & Test Pattern by The Thermals
www.thethermals.com/
www.myspace.com/thethermals
I saw The Thermals live at the end of April, and have been in the mood for their music lately. Here's Your Future and Test Pattern were just stuck in my head at various times-- they are also great tunes that deserve a wider audience. 

Working Man's Blues by The Devil Makes Three
www.thedevilmakesthree.com/
www.myspace.com/thedevilmakesthree
The title says it all. Right now things are totally fucked, the people who are always sitting pretty aren't and that means that the rest of us who live outside of that security net are fucked even more.
Oh, these guys are a great blue grass type band if you want to, and you should, check them out.

Hard Times In America by Willie Nile
www.willienile.com/
www.myspace.com/willienile

Title says it all again-- this one is from the SXSW mix

We Can't Make It Here (acoustic) by James McMurtry
www.jamesmcmurtry.com
www.myspace.com/jamesmcmurtry
Do I even have to say anything here? This is the last of my working man blues trifecta-- 

Six Foot Jane by Color Me Psycho

I said I don't think about you any more

But you know that just ain't true

now there's nothing left but barbwire

Color Me Psycho is one of those great and forgotten garage punk bands from the late 80s, an this is one of their more surreal and rocking tunes. I urge you to get out there and track down their work, and hope that someday people will latch on the genius of CMP.

Saddle On The Side Of The Road by Drivin 'n' Cryin
www.drivinncryin.com
www.myspace.com/drivinncryin
Old stand by band that has held up over the years for me. I was thinking of this tune from their first album because of a flash fiction piece I have been working on. If there is anyone out there that is at all interested in exploring overlooked, or wrongly promoted bands from the late 80s and early 90s DNC is a great place to start. This tune has a marching rocking drive that is as much Ramones as it is NWOBHM.

I Will Dare by The Replacements
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Replacements
I recently read a couple of books about Gen X and our place and travels though the culture. One of them, X Saves the World, summed up one of the reasons that X is going to make such an impact in the world, simply in the words of The Replacements I will Dare.

Wrong Hill by The Earps
www.myspace.com/theearpsaz
There are so many great bands out there, so many slogging through the underground and so many that deserve more exposure, any list of these bands that I can come up with is going to include these guys. They have one album to their credit and looked like they were going to get out there, only to be sidetracked by the world. The good news is that they are getting back on the horse and reportedly have a new album in the works. Until then you need to track down a copy of their first disc, not only for the tune The Devils Bed (which I featured on a previous monthly playlist) but for this bitter sweat slice of reved up cowpunk that has just the right amount of classic country Big City pathos mixed with an echo of Motely Crue, really it's got to be heard.

Thoughts, comments, spare change?