"I get by with a little help from my friends..."

Today's post is brought to you by the the letter J, as in Jake. Since I have been lame with my posting habits lately I an pleased to present a guest RopBop post!! I also want to send a big thank you to him for taking the time to do this. He's got a lot more going on than I do. Much appreciated, man! With that said let's check out his jams!

First off is a flashback from the vault. Being only a casual follower of music, I’ve generally depended on more knowledgeable friends for new tunes. This song by The National was part of RopBop’s inaugural post. (Check the archives on the right.) Only recently have I discovered the Kent District Library, and without getting too much into the benefits of taxpayer-funded public services, I’ll only say that the library is the best place in the world. In addition to all of the children's books and Star Wars graphic novels one could ever want to check out, it’s also allowed me to listen to all of the music I’ve always wanted to, but have been too cheap/broke to purchase--in this case, The National’s “Alligator”. Good stuff!

The National- Mr. November

If any of you out there have small children, you’ll know how rare it is to find kids’ music that parents can enjoy, too. Yeah, some of you may like Raffi, but I hope you keep that to yourselves. “If You Ever See An Owl..." however, is a staple of my ipod rotation. I discovered these guys while listening to Pandora a couple years ago by recognizing the singer’s voice from The Get Up Kids’ version of “Close To Me”--a cover song RopBop-worthy in it’s own right--which was made known to me courtesy of Brad.
The Terrible Twos - Old Man Miller (not from album)

Back when we were living on Paddock Ave., Brad and I also had a musical goldmine next door named Dice. There among the treasures unearthed was that of Dinosaur Jr. Screaming guitar solos rule, and the last three minutes of this song understatedly wail.
Dinosaur Jr - Pick Me Up

This is my cousins’ band (as in both singers, Max and Rory) and their inclusion here is more than just a nepotic plug. I really, really like this album. It’s got a double entendre title, a few subtle Wilco, Pearl Jam, and Ishmael references, and a strong social conscience that makes me re-evaluate my existence every time I listen to it. Keep it up, BDR, and check it out, readers.

Big Dudee Roo - Michigan


I hope you all enjoyed my post, and I hope Brad will invite me back, because I got more songs! Thanks, Brad! And Happy Easter, everyone.