No Music Just Hot Juicy Linkage

Once again I am going to provide you with some sweet music related links. Enjoy!

Playing The Beatles Backwards: The Ultimate Countdown.
Have you ever wanted a list of Beatles songs ranked with insight as to why the song is ranked the way it is, as well as interesting tidbits on the songs? Do you love to get into music debates over a bands "best song" only to come to the conclusion that no one will ever agree? Me too. I came across this interesting article. Of course I have not read the whole thing yet but someday I will. I don't agree on the ranking, and don't think there will ever be anyone who will, but I do give the author credit. I am sure that this list took weeks to create and that right there is a reason for me to read through it. You might find a new Beatles song you like. Since we are ranking things, how about taking a look at this one too. The Ultimate Ranking: Every Radiohead Song

Name 10 Song Titles About...
"I say a word, and you have to come up with 10 songs that have the word in the title. Then, you pick a word for the next person to find 10 songs about. Sound fun?" Yes x 100. I forgot how I came across this thread. I think I found it while looking up books on Amazon oddly enough. Either way, this thread on Amazon is a goldmine. Want to make a theme mix? Want to find some new bands? Want to learn a new game to waste away time on those slow days at work or lame parties? Check this out!

The Sacred Geometry Of Music. So this is why I had to take Geometry!! Gettin' nerdy with music!

The 15 Weirdest Music Videos Of All Time. Oh yeah I remember what those are! As I recall there might have even been a television channel or two dedicated to music videos. Too bad they didn't stick with the format. If they had maybe I would have known about these. No explanation needed here. Go watch some hilariously odd music videos.

hahah awesome, Awesomer, and Awesomest!

A link to a site of links: Populair.

and a few non-music related links

I am fascinated by architecture and interior design. I also like seeing the inside of houses, how they are set up and what not. I just find it interesting to see what other people do with the space they have. I also know I couldn't afford 90% of the cool places I see. Like these. I wish I lived in NYC and had lots of M-O-N-E.

So You Want To Be A Writer by Charles Bukowski. One of the great modern poets writing about writing. Awesome poem!

Ever wondered if there was a map to the Simpsons Springfield? Wonder no more!

Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Seen On The Internet. I like the Buffalo VS Lion VS Alligator the best.

Last but not least this article is for the search nerds. Beef up your searches. Information is power. How-to find interesting video, sound and image files.
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I haven't been living up to my duty of updating this blog weekly like I should, so I figured I'd play a little catch up by banging out a few posts in one day. So lets get right down to it shall we? Like Moltar says "Thou shall not hesitate!" (A little Spaceghost: Coast To Coast humor for ya.)

Why don't we start out with a rocking little poppy tune from a North Wales band called The Joy Formidable. The three piece band is lead by the boyfirend girlfriend duo of Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd as well as drummer Justin Stahley. This song has a great upbeat feel, cute female fronted vocals complete with backing "oohs" that are guaranteed to stick to your brain like a jolly rancher in the sun. Since you are already getting that sweet sensation, you might as well add the sugar rush of toe tapping drums, and fuzzed out feedback laden guitar. Pure bublegum pop at it's finest.
The Joy Formidable - Cradle

Because I like segways (No! Not the two wheeled scooter.) lets go from cute to ugly with a song called Repulsion by Quasi. This song really isn't going to make you want to run for the hills or vomit. It's just a great sonic guitar filled oddity. It's seems to be out of balance yet at the same time fit together. Kind of like an abstract painting for your ears, or like most Quasi songs in general.
Quasi - Repulsion

I had to post this song not only because the song is funny and original, but the name of the artist is hilarious, to my immature sense of humor, as well. I mean come on! If that is really your name, your parents must have hated you. Sidenote: This song was credited (No Pun intended.) to Dick Feeler when I found it. After looking it up I discovered that his last name is Feller. Still funny but not as funny as I originally thought. I don't have a credit card. Never have had one and never really want one. Not because I don't trust myself with it, but because I know no good can come from them other than building a credit rating. I don't need that much money. If I don't have enough cash to buy what I want then I don't really need it. I don't like debt and I have plenty of payments already. Why add more? I just see it as trouble. I used to work at a bank and I could tell you stories that would make you curl into the fetal position. Instead of doing that, I'd rather you listen to this hop-a-long country song and have a chuckle.
Dick Feller - The Credit Card Song

This song has been in constant rotation and I can't figure out exactly what it is that keeps me coming back. Is it the "volume is up way to loud" distorted production? Is it the great hip hop sounding beat? The cotton candy sounding female vocals? Or, how the very last 2 seconds are completely normal? Whatever it is I like it.
Sleigh Bells - Crown On the Ground

Everyone labels music differently. Especially in the music of today. One genre bleeds into another or others and what comes out? A beautiful mish-mash that often times creates a new genre all it's own. You got your punk, new wave, emo, screamo, hardcore, metal, speed metal, alternative, indie, pop, synthpop, progressive....and on and on. It's crazy. Well I am creating my own sub genre for this song in particular. I'm calling this Speedblues, because it's one of the fastest blues songs I have heard. On January 25, 2010, Andersen won the top prize for a duo/individual in the Memphis, Tenn. International Blues Challenge, beating artists from 11 other countries. So you know this is played with skill. I can only dream of playing like this. Insane, acoustic and fun.
Matt Andersen - Tell Me

I think I will end today's post with a song about keeping warm. As with a lot of other cities around the U.S., Old Man Winter decided to dump a good amount of snow on us. Most of the kids have the day off from school today. I haven't tested the roads at all but I am pretty sure that by now they are safe for traveling, but they were not this morning. I loved those kind of days as a kid. Crappy in the morning, but fine by afternoon which meant going out to eat for lunch or something fun outside of the house. The funny thing is, I hate those kinds of days as an adult. If you have the day off curl up with a cup of coco and a book and throw on this heart warming romantic indie tune.
Ida Maria - Keep Me Warm

Cover this!

As I was lurking around on the internet, enjoying my bowl of frosted mini wheats, when I came across a post called 10 Cover Songs Better Than The Originals. I read thorough the article and the comments, and was shocked and appalled at what I read. There were only two songs I agreed with (Gary Jules version of Mad World, Beatles version of Twist And Shout) This got me thinking about covers and what covers I think are better than the original. Well that's what our post will be all about today. Of course everyone has their own opinions, so make a comment and give me your favorite cover.

Let me start out by saying I love Neil Young and his version of this song. I'm a huge fan and accept that some may disagree with me on my choice of this cover being better than the original. Why is it that I think this cover is superior to the original? I am a fan of anything with piano, and this song sounds great, if not better on the piano. It gives the song a much more melancholy feel than an acoustic guitar. I consider both acoustic guitar and piano intimate instruments and I am glad the artist decided to keep that feel for the cover. On top of that you add the bluesy cries, and raspy vocals of Betty Lavette and it adds 10 times more feeling than what Neils voice did. Again, don't get me wrong, I love Neils voice, but I think on Betty just adds that missing "feeling" to the songs great lyrics.
Bettye Lavette - Heart Of Gold (Neil Young Cover)
*Edit: I couldn't find the live cover I had originally, so here is the regular cover

I am going to be honest and admit that I have never been a fan of Nico's voice. There are a few songs she did with the Velvet Underground that I can tolerate but most of them I can't stand. The only song I really enjoy by her is These Days, and that wasn't with the VU. Her voice fits perfect on that song. I think it's because she has an awkward manly voice that really doesn't have much range. All the songs she sings on sound very similar no matter how good the backing music is. She just ruins it for me. I'll Be Your Mirror proves my point. Seriously go listen to the original and then listen to this one and tell me different. I like the backing music on it but her voice...*shudders*. This cover however, is beautiful. It's slowed down with only acoustic guitar and an added string section that I believe truly brings out the beauty in the song. It's neat how the instrumentation pulls out the lyrics more than the original.
Clem Snide - I'll Be Your Mirror (Velvet Underground Cover)

I just recently discovered the Buzzcocks, and I wish I had heard about them years ago. I did know of their name back in High School because a kid used to wear the bright colored yellow shirt with pink lettering that said Buzzcocks on it. However I never looked them up. It was before the internet days. The sole reason I checked them out was because of this amazing cover by Sportsday Megaphone. This cover is from a great mix called Buffetlibre Rewind 2. Buffetlibre has been talked about on RopBop before due to his great remix of the Patrick Wolf song "Who Will?". Let me assure you that all the remixes done by BL are killer. This cover is great because it takes the 1978 punk rock original and transforms into a blippy electro jam made for the 20th century. If you went back in time and played this song for the buzzcocks you could tell them this is what music sounds like in the future, of course they would probably hate it.
Sportsday Megaphone - Ever Fallen In Love (BL rewind 2)(Buzzcocks Cover)

There are a lot of great covers The Man In Black did before he passed on, but I think his version of Rusty Cage is one of the best. I originally was going to choose Cash covering I Won't Back Down, but after comparing the two, Tom Petty won. Cash has a certain knack of making most of his covers sound tough and gristly, this cover is no exception. Soundgarden made the original great for moshing and head banging with it's, true Seattle alternative vibe. Cash makes this song into a badass in the prison yard with his commanding voice and stripped down sound.
Johnny Cash - Rusty Cage (Soundgarden Cover)

I don't know how many people would be familiar with the band Polaris, but if I mentioned The Adventures Of Pete And Pete theme song you might be familiar with them. They were the creators of the opening song "Hey Sandy" and were featured as the band in the episode Hard Day's Pete. What is so unique is that the bands only album release was called Music from The Adventures of Pete & Pete which is where this song came from. It's definitely 90's alternative college radio music. Nothing really spectacular, but still unappreciated. Thankfully The National gives the band some love by doing an amazing cover of Ashamed Of The Story I Told. I wouldn't give it a second thought to say that this song was meant to be sung by The National. I couldn't think of a better band to cover it.
The National - Ashamed Of The Story I Told (Polaris Cover)